


The Unwanted

by Azela



Series: The Love for His Master Series [3]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Falling In Love, Hand Jobs, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Light Bondage, M/M, Master/Slave, Oral Sex, Sex Toys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-31
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-03-20 12:19:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 79,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3650097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azela/pseuds/Azela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After spending years being passed around to several foster homes and then winding up on the streets, Fallon finds himself forced into slavery by a group of people who have been picking up homeless off the streets. He winds up in a whorehouse where a rough client leaved him injured and mute. Now that he's unwilling to do his job, he finds himself passed off again to the only man who will take him.</p><p>But Raf isn't like the other men. He doesn't expect anything from Fallon and he never raises a hand to him. Fallon finds himself stuck between wondering if Raf is truly a good man or faking it to use it against Fallon later. It's not until Fallon and Raf's trust is tested that Fallon discovers what his master really means to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Fallon kneeled over the bed; his eyes squeezed shut as he was jerked by the rough thrusts from the man behind him. The man grunted in frustration when Fallon didn’t react and slapped his ass in hopes to hear something. Fallon forced back a grunt and gritted his teeth when the man reached down and roughly tugged on Fallon’s flaccid cock.

“Come on, dammit,” the man growled, changing the angle of his thrusts and making them more painful for Fallon. 

Fallon still did nothing and he made no attempt to give the man what he wanted. He was done pretending to enjoy what these assholes were doing to him. 

The man behind him cursed angrily and increased the speed of his thrusts. Seconds later he was coming, jerking angrily out of Fallon before he was finished. He jerked off the condom he was wearing and tossed it in the trash, finishing himself off in a tissue. He was still cursing when he tucked himself away, bitching about his shitty fuck and how Fallon should be tossed out with the trash. 

The cleanup crew came in seconds after the man left, shoving Fallon into the small bathroom and into the tub. One half of the crew cleaned the room, while the other half roughly scrubbed Fallon down and then left him to brush his teeth. One of his master’s lackeys was waiting for him when he stepped out of the bathroom and he growled at Fallon to get dressed.

Fallon took the ragged clothing one of the women handed him and dressed quickly. The guard took his arm when he was finished and dragged him out of the room. They descended several flights of stairs and Fallon’s heart hammered in his chest when he was pulled into the master’s office. 

The man who had just fucked him was there, screaming at the master about Fallon’s shitty performance. The master listened quietly like he always did and then told the man that if he didn’t like the service, he was sure the man’s wife wouldn’t like discovering where her husband went for lunch every day. The man stuttered several angry, but pointless threats and stormed out of the room.

The master sighed and leaned back in his leather chair, rubbing his face with his hands. He looked at Fallon with sad green eyes and shook his head. “What happened to you, Fallon?” he asked sadly. “You were such a good boy when I bought you. You did everything I asked and the clients loved you. Now you refuse to pleasure them, you act like you’re bored and you don’t even talk anymore. It’s not healthy.”

Fallon stood quietly, his cold green eyes glaring at the man. The master sighed again and reached for the phone, pounding the number with one long finger. He spoke curtly to whoever answered, begging them to come and take Fallon away.

“I can’t afford him,” the master cried, jumping to his feet. “My clients are bored with him and he’s becoming a waste of space. Will you please just come down here and look at him? You like these kinds of slaves and I will give him to you for free.” The master paused to listen, smiling at the answer he received. “Good, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

The master set down the phone and looked at Fallon. “You better hope Mr. Greely takes you. If he doesn’t, I can’t promise that whoever buys you at auction will be as kind as I have been.”

Fallon refrained from rolling his eyes. If this man had any kindness in his body, he wouldn’t force other humans to be subjected to the shit that went on here. He took a seat when his master pointed to a chair in the corner of the room and waited quietly for the man who would decide his fate. It was a long twenty minutes before the door to the office opened.  
Fallon turned his head to look at the man and nearly groaned. The man looked to be a few years older then he was, very tall, very handsome and exactly the type of man Fallon would have went for before he had been dragged off the streets and sold into slavery. 

“Thank you for coming, Mr. Greely,” the master said, standing up to shake the man’s hand. He turned his head to look at Fallon, motioning for him to stand up. Fallon stood, keeping his cold gaze pointed straight ahead of him. He didn’t bother to look up at the man. He didn’t care what he looked like.

“What did you do to him?” Mr. Greely asked, his voice as sooth as silk to Fallon’s ears. The man stepped towards him and reached out to slide a soft hand over his cheek. Fallon shivered at the touch, his heart rate picking up again. The man cupped his face in his hand and tilted Fallon’s head up. Grey eyes looked down into his sea green ones and Mr. Greely ran his thumb over Fallon’s cheek.

“I haven’t done anything,” the master replied.

“Nothing, huh?” Mr. Greely asked. He slid around Fallon’s body, sliding the tips of his fingers over his skin. Mr. Greely stepped forward, pressing his chest against Fallon’s back. His arm snaked around Fallon’s waist and down the front of his loose fitting jeans. His fingers curled between Fallon’s legs and he gave a hum of disapproval. “He’s only got one testicle.”

“It was an accident,” the master replied dismissively. One of the guests tied him up and used a rubber band to bind his testicles. Apparently rubber bands start to constrict after a while, who’d have thought. We assumed the screaming was to spur the man on. We never thought someone would do something like that.”

“You didn’t think to check on him?” Mr. Greely asked, a frown evident in his voice. His thumb traced over Fallon’s lone testicle, sliding over the scars and uneven skin. 

“The man liked BDSM, we didn’t think anything of it,” the master shrugged. “By the time we found him the one was badly damaged. We were lucky the doctor could save the one.”

Mr. Greely sighed and straightened up. He turned Fallon around and pulled him to his chest, holding him gently. “I will take him.” Fallon jerked in surprise and Mr. Greely held him tighter. He honestly thought that once the man found out, he would refuse to take him. “But, if I take him, you won’t be getting him back. You had your chance with him and you hurt him. He doesn’t deserve this life anymore.”

“Please, keep him. I don’t want him if he’s going to loose me money. You mentioned doing this legally, so why don’t we discuss the contract.” The master stood and excused himself, leaving Fallon alone with his new master.

“You’re quiet,” Mr. Greely observed. Fallon’s only answer was to glare at the man. Mr. Greely chuckled and slid his hand up Fallon’s arm. A shiver ran down Fallon’s spine and he fought against leaning into the touch. This man looked so trustworthy with his gentle smile and soft eyes, it was all making it nearly impossible for Fallon not to react. He was just going to have to try harder, he couldn’t let his new master think he might be interested.

The master returned with a stack of papers, which he handed over to Mr. Greely. “This is the contract I normally use when selling one of my slaves. I’ve made some changes to fit your need today. My secretary is also writing a letter of adoption for my taxes. She will also have his papers for you to sign and a temporary ownership paper to take with you when you leave. I will stress to you that he doesn’t have a pedigree; I know how your father feels about that. He was living on the streets when they took him, so I honestly can’t tell you much about him.”

“I’m not looking for good breeding and my father doesn’t have a say in the type of slaves I own,” Mr. Greely replied curtly. He took a seat, motioning for Fallon to sit in the one next to him.

The two men spent hours debating about the contract, changing several things and agreeing on definitions of words Fallon didn’t know. There was another hour of boorish conversation before Mr. Greely signed the papers. Fallon sat up while he did so, thankful that he didn’t have to sit in this office any longer.

“Thank you, Victor,” Mr. Greely nodded. “A pleasure doing business with you.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” the master replied smoothly, shaking the other man’s hand. 

Mr. Greely turned to Fallon and took his hand, leading him out of the office. He signed the papers the secretary had for him and made his way towards the front door. People stopped in the hallways to stare as they made their way down stairs, none of them saying anything to him. There was nothing to say. Fallon hardly knew these people and none of them cared for him. 

They stepped out of the house Fallon had called home for the last year and made their way to the large driveway. Fallon was surprised to discover that his new master had driven himself. Most of the rich men who came here didn’t drive and they probably never learned how. 

Mr. Greely helped Fallon into the passenger’s seat and then trotted around the front of the car to the driver’s side. “I’m sorry toy tell you, Fallon, but I need to take you to the doctors before we head home. I want to make sure you’re healthy and lord knows Victor wouldn’t say anything. He just wanted to get rid of you and he would say anything for me to do it.”

Fallon nodded slowly, his stomach churning with worry. He didn’t want to see a doctor. He didn't’ want the man poking and prodding him and discovering that there were parts of him he shouldn’t still have. He knew what the other doctors had said about his one remaining testicle and he didn’t want someone else deciding that it needed to be removed. It still did its job, so why did it matter how it looked?

They didn’t travel far before Mr. Greely pulled into a large parking lot. He parked at the back of the building and turned off the car. Fallon reached for his seatbelt when his master’s hands grabbed his. Mr. Greely cupped Fallon’s face in his hands and tilted his head back to look at him.

“My name is Rafael, but you can call me Raf,” he said, his grey eyes watching Fallon as he waited for a response. Fallon merely rolled his eyes. The only thing he would be calling this man was master.” “No you wont,” Raf told him, causing Fallon to look at him in surprise. “Under no circumstances will you call me master, understand?”

Fallon stared up into Raf’s grey eyes and nodded. How did this man know what he was thinking? Raf nodded and smiled, sliding his fingers through Fallon’s dirty blond hair. He climbed out of the car and moved to the passenger’s side, taking Fallon’s hand when he opened the door. 

The doctor’s office was the same as any other office, equipped with crappy music, a large waiting room and miserable looking slaves. Luckily, they didn’t have to wait with the rest of them because they were waiting for them when they arrived. A nurse greeted them at the door and led them into a small room where they took several vials of blood from Fallon, before placing them in an examination room. 

“Let’s get you undressed,” Raf told him, tugging Fallon’s shirt over his head. Once he was naked, Raf inspected his body for anything else the master hadn’t told him. His fingers brushed over the few whip marks on Fallon’s back as he circled around him. He gave a great sigh when he looked down at Fallon, his grey eyes filled with frustration.

“They should have taken better care of you,” he whispered, cupping Fallon’s testicle in his hand. “This never should have happened.” He rubbed his thumb over the scarred skin and shook his head. “As long as there is nothing wrong with it, I won’t let them remove it.”

A rush of air left Fallon’s lungs and he gave Raf a look of thanks. Raf smiled and kissed his forehead. “I don’t want to make this any more stressful for you. I want you to talk to me someday and castrating you isn’t the way to do it.”

Fallon snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, it certainly wouldn’t and he would put up a fight if they tried to take his ball away from him anyway. Raf cradled his testicle in his hand for a moment longer, before pulling away and helping Fallon onto the examination table. Fingers ghosted over Fallon’s ribs as Raf moved to take a seat.

There was a knock on the door seconds later and a tall, grey haired man stepped into the room, carrying several thick files. “Afternoon, Raf.”

“Dr. Enges,” Raf replied.

“You have got yourself one interesting slave,” the doctor said setting down the stack of files on the counter. “His parents were killed when he was six. He was bounced around between several foster homes and disappeared to the streets when he was sixteen. Found himself at one of those fake soup kitchens where they drugged him, raped him and then sold him off to Victor Helix. They kept him at the holding facility for a long time. Almost six months, you can even watch the video of his training.” Dr. Enges glanced at Fallon and held up a DVD.

“I’ll pass, I don’t need to watch a bunch of assholes gang rape him,” Raf grumbled. 

“He’s only been a slave a year and a half,” Dr. Enges continued. “Six months at the holding facility and he only worked for Victor for three months before his accident. It took him almost six more months to recover and they didn’t use him a lot after that. Luckily his STD test came back negative and according to his file, he’s never tested positive for one. That testicle, however, should have been removed when they took the other one.”

“I know it’s bad, but I would prefer if he kept it,” Raf replied.

“Well let’s take a look, then,” Dr. Enges smiled, pulling gloves out of a box and pulling them on. 

For almost an hour the doctor poked and prodded Fallon, sticking fingers into places he didn’t want them to be and being very thorough with his check. He hummed disapprovingly when he checked Fallon’s testicle, thankfully stating that he could keep it. The doctor took several more swab samples before he was finished, sending all of it to the lab for testing.

“You can get dressed, Fallon,” the doctor told him. “I just need a urine sample and then you can head down the hall to the dentist.”

Fallon’s look of relief fell off his face and he turned his head to scowl at Raf. Raf snickered as the reaction and Dr. Enges looked curiously between the two. “I see he doesn't have a hard time expressing himself,” the doctor commented.

“He may not talk, but you always know what he’s thinking,” Raf replied, smiling at Fallon. 

“He doesn’t talk at all?” Dr. Enges asked curiously.

“From what I understand, he stopped after loosing the testicle.”

“Makes sense,” Enges said, opening one of the files. “If no one came to help when he screamed for it, then there is no reason to speak at all.”

Fallon nodded slowly, looking up at Raf when he took his hand. His grey eyes were full of concern and worry. It was obvious that Raf wanted to help him, Fallon just didn’t know if he could be helped anymore. He was just too broken to be fixed. 

Raf helped Fallon dress, sent him to the bathroom to get one more sample and took him down to the dentist. His constant hygiene care paid off and all he needed was a thorough cleaning and nothing else. 

“I have a little more bad news,” Raf told Fallon hesitantly. He didn’t look like he liked the news, which meant Fallon really wasn’t going to like it. You need to see the proctologist before we leave.”

Fallon sighed and nodded. He knew they were going to send him there eventually and he might as well get it over with now. They found the nurse again and she led them to another part of the building and into another examination room. Again Fallon undressed and hooped onto the examination table. “I’m sorry,” Raf told him, sliding his arms around Fallon’s neck and hugging him. “If we didn’t get all this done today, we would have had to do it another day.”

“Fallon understood and he nodded to let Raf know that he did. Raf continued to hold him, his chin resting on top of Fallon’s head. Slowly Fallon raised his arms to return the hug, squeezing Raf tightly. He let himself enjoy the touch and wondered if this would last of if it would end abruptly when they got home. 

The were forced to pull away when the doctor entered and Fallon got up and moved into the position he knew they wanted him in. Twenty uncomfortable minutes later the doctor finished, rubbing something over Fallon’s entrance to help tighten the muscles. Raf was given several prescriptions and instructions on what Fallon needed and when. Most of them were vitamins to help regulate his low levels of everything and others were to help all the stretching his body had gone through.

“I’m thinking something greasy and delicious for dinner tonight to make up for all the poking you just went through,” Raf suggested. “How about pizza since it’s the last time you’ll get to have it until you put some healthy weight on?”

Fallon nodded, his mouth watering at the thought of pizza. Raf smiled down at him and drove out of the large town and into a more rural area. Fallon watched curiously out the window, hiding his excitement when Raf turned down a long driveway. Trees lined the path and they thickened into a large forest the further they drove. The further they drove the more worry began to creep up on Fallon. They had taken him to a similar place after they pulled him off the streets. Somewhere far away from curious eyes and questioning people.  
When they came to a clearing, Fallon was surprised to see a house instead of a large brick building. The house was unlike anything Fallon had seen. It was set back in a large clearing, surrounded by the dense forest that hid it from the peeking eyes of neighbors. The house was also round, a shape not normally used for houses. 

A white porch wrapped around the house, decorated with chairs, tables and a hammock hanging to the left of the front door. Sunlight glinted off the large windows, showing a large kitchen on one side and a living room on the other. 

Raf pulled into the two-car garage attached two the house, looking very square and plain next to the odd shaped home. An older, worn looking car was the only other car in the garage and Fallon wondered why Raf would own a piece of junk if he could have any care he wanted. 

“My grandmother left me the property after she passed away,” Raf started when eh put the car in park. “The house that used to be here was falling apart so my father had it torn down and build this one for me. He did it to make up for something he had done when I was younger. Unfortunately, he keeps screwing up and I’ve stopped forgiving him.”

Fallon’s heart clenched at Raf’s bitter tone. He had lost his parents when he saw so young and it hurt to see the tension between his master and his father. What if Raf lost his father tomorrow, would he regret refusing to forgive him?

“What’s that look for?” Raf whispered, smiling softly. “Don’t worry, my father and I will make up someday.” He opened his door and walked around the car, helping Fallon out. “Welcome home, Fallon,” Raf whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

He led Fallon to a door that connected the house and the garage and stepped into a small room. The window in the door showed that they were next to the kitchen and Fallon could see a pudgy woman cleaning dishes. Raf toed off his shoes, motioning for Fallon to do the same.

The woman paused when the door opened and she turned a very motherly looking smile towards the two of them. Her emerald eyes sparkled with curiosity when she saw Fallon and she turned away from the sink to face them.

“Hanna, we have a new resident,” Raf explained. 

“Well I wish you had told me that sooner,” she said, setting her hands on her hips. I just started the soup and it won’t be done till tomorrow.” She huffed and looked at the pot before turning back to Fallon. “And where did you find this young man? He looks so thin.”

“I got him from a friend,” Raf replied bitterly. Apparently he was stretching the word friend. Hanna seemed to notice and she cocked her head and raised her eyebrows in question. “I’ll explain more once I get him settled, and don’t worry about dinner, I promised him pizza.”

Hanna scoffed, mumbling about how hard it was to keep Raf healthy when all he ate was junk. Raf rolled is eyes and pointed to the door to the right of the one they had just come through. “That’s my room,” he said. “It’s nice having the fridge right there so I can steal food in the middle of the night.”

Fallon laughed and let Raf move him around the kitchen and past a small table that sat in front of a window. The foyer separated the dining and kitchen area from the living room where several cushy chairs and a long couch sat near the window. On the opposite side of the room was a large flat screen television and several different types of electronics. Fallon’s feet pattered on the hardwood floor as they followed the shape of the house and moved into a small hallway where a master bathroom sat to the right and a large walk in closet sat on the left.

Through another door and they were into a large master bedroom that took up all of the back of the house. A California king sized bed stood in the center of the room, the headboard pressed against the front wall. It was nestled between two end tables and a dresser sat next to the right end table. Directly across from the bed was a small bookshelf that held more books then it could. On top of it was another television and more electronics. On opposite sides of the bookshelf were sliding glass doors. The left looked out into the field where several deer grazed and the right looked out over a large garden. 

Fallon walked over to the bed, gently sliding his hands over the sheets. They were soft, which meant they wouldn’t scratch while he tried to service his master. He stiffened when Raf came up behind him, but relaxed when he turned him around and lifted Fallon onto the bed. Fallon sank into the sheets and closed his eyes in contempt. 

Raf chuckled and leaned forward, kissing Fallon’s forehead. Fallon blinked open his grey eyes and looked up at the smiling man his eyes immediately going to his lips. Raf ducked his head and gently kissed Fallon’s lips, his lips warm and inviting. Fallon allowed his master to kiss him, but didn’t kiss back. 

“I’m not going to have sex with you,” Raf assured when he pulled back. “You need time to heal and we need time to get to know each other. I want you to understand, Fallon, that I won’t touch you unless you want me to.”

Fallon gave Raf a look of disbelief. Raf owned him, there was no way he wasn’t going to use what was his eventually. Fallon wanted to laugh in his face and tell him he was full of shit. He wanted to tell his master that he was a freak with one testicle, who had spent the last year a whore. No man would keep their hands off him. Fucking him led to bragging rights that no one was willing to pass up.

“That’s not why I brought you home,” Raf sighed. He studied Fallon’s face for a moment and sighed again. “Your body needs to rest,” he said softly, pulling Fallon’s shirt over his head. “We’ve still got a few hours till dinner, so why don’t we lay down and rest?”

Fallon cocked his head when Raf unbuttoned his pants and slid them down his hips, leaving Fallon in only his boxers. He pulled back the sheets and looked down at Fallon expectantly. 

Fallon grunted and slid underneath, setting his head on a fluffy pillow. Raf straightened and pulled off his shirt, leaving his jeans on as he slid into bed. He gathered Fallon up in his arms and pulled him to his chest. 

“You might not know this, but Victor has been begging me to take you for a few weeks now. If he hadn’t called me begging to take you today, I would have done so this weekend. Actually, I took the next two weeks off to spend some time with you.”

Fallon pushed back and looked up at Raf in slight surprise. He hadn’t even known his master was trying to sell him and he wondered why he chose Raf over the hundreds of others who would have paid for him. He gently placed his hand on Raf’s chest and sighed. At least the man was willing to get to know him and actually cared about him. He shook his head at the oddity of the thought. No one cared for him, they used him until they were bored and then threw him away. He was unwanted everywhere he went. 

Fallon gently placed a hand on Raf’s chest and laid back down, tucking his head under Raf’s chin. He left his hand pressed to the soft skin, smiling slightly when Raf held him closer. Fallon let the warmth seep into him, knowing the comfort wouldn’t last as his eyes slid closed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait. I've been working a lot of nights and then my laptop died so I had to use a pen and paper to write while I foal watched. Now my computer is back so I can type at work and update when I get home.

Fallon jerked awake with a sharp gasp, a strangled cry tearing through his throat as he scrambled away from the man lying next to him. He scurried to the edge of the bed and pulled his knees up to his chest, panting heavily as he tried to dispel the fear coursing through him. His dream lingered in his mind, making his heart hammer in his chest and his fear rise.

“Fallon?” Raf’s groggy voice broke through the panic. “What’s wrong?” Gentle hands touched Fallon’s arm and he gave a cry of fear and shoved Raf away. “Okay, no touching,” Raf said gently.   
Fallon felt him shift on the bed and he could make out his face in the moonlight. “Just tell me what happened.”

Fallon shook his head and wrapped his arms around his legs, hugging them close his chest. He couldn’t shake the dream that haunted him at night, or the feeling of hands on his body. He flinched when Raf moved closer, blinking rapidly when he flicked on a light. The harsh yellow light cut through the room like lightning, illuminating the bed and flashing memories of Fallon being held down.

“Did you have a nightmare?” Raf asked, keeping his voice low so he didn’t scare Fallon. He crossed his legs and set his elbows on his knees and rested his chin on his linked hands. 

Fallon nodded, keeping his eyes on his knees. He fought the urge to rock like some sort of mental patient and dug his fingers into his arms. Raf hummed gently, causing Fallon to look up at him. His expression was mixed with concern and understanding and his eyes looked weary. His face lacked wrinkles and any worry line unlike Fallon who wore his worries on the surface. Raf was the most relaxed man Fallon had seen in a long time. The men who used him at his old home always seemed to look tense, like they were carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders and their only relief was a whore they could take their woes out on. 

The look in Raf’s grey eyes turned to curiosity, something Fallon had never seen in the men he had been with before. He looked much different sitting here in the middle of the night then he did during the day. His copper hair was mussed from lying in bed, no longer styled like it had when they first met. His bare chest had some muscling to it that suggested Raf worked out occasionally and Fallon could see a spars trail of red hair that dipped below the waistband of his jeans. 

“Was your dream about what happened to you at Victor’s?” Fallon shook his head, squeezing his eyes closed. He still felt those men hovering over him, their hand on him, their naked bodies covering his, forcing him open…

Fallon remembered the day clearly. His friend telling him about a new soup kitchen that had opened up and her insistence that he go with her. It was like any other place for the homeless, filled with people and lines. The food had been bland like usual, but it was something warm in his stomach. He hadn’t tasted anything that would alert him to something suspicious until the people around him began passing out. By the time he had realized what had happened the drug had already taken affect. 

When he woke again he was tied to a bed, his body screaming in pain and covered in come. The three men standing around him didn’t make things better; neither did the cameras scattered around the room, taping everything they did to him. The days that came after only made the memories more harrowing. 

“Was it before Victor’s?” Raf ventured. Fallon nodded, looking away rom his master. “Did you dream about what they did to you after they took you off the streets?” Fallon nodded again, holding his legs tighter. “I’m sorry that had to happen to you,” Raf said sadly. “I promise it will never happen to you again. I’m going to take care of you and keep you safe.”

Fallon couldn’t stop the snort of disbelief and his shaky nod only made Ra frown. Fallon rolled his eyes and motioned to the room. They were in the middle of the woods where no one would hear them. No one would even know Fallon was here unless they wandered through the backyard. Raf caught on to what Fallon was implying and shook his head. “I live out here for the peace and quiet, Fallon. I’m not going to torture you.”

Fallon huffed, but nodded and loosened his hold on his legs. He slowly unfolded himself and moved towards Raf. Raf reached for Fallon when he moved closer and pulled him into his lap. Fallon rested his head on Raf, reminding himself that he was trusting to easily again. It was one of his few weaknesses and it had gotten him hurt several times. It was easy to trust Raf, though, especially with his gentle touches and calming words. Fallon relaxed against him, sliding his arms around Raf’s neck.

“Are you hungry?” Fallon nodded and Raf shifted to reach for his phone. “Do you have a preference? Peperoni, sausage, ham, or bacon?” Fallon gave a small groan, each choice sounding better then the last. Raf chuckled as he searched his phone. “How about I order all of it and we can shower while we wait for it.”

Fallon nodded, listening to Raf relay their order to the person on the phone. He hung up and scooped Fallon up into his arms and carried him into the bathroom. They shared a quick shower that thankfully didn’t end in forced sex. Raf washed them both, dried them off and helped Fallon dress.

The pizza was waiting for them when they stepped out of the bedroom, along with a lecture about how unhealthy pizza was.

“Hanna doesn’t like when I eat junk. She insists on feeding me healthy food because she believes it will keep me alive longer,” Raf told him when they settled at the table. Fallon snorted and took his seat, keeping his hands in his lap so he didn’t lunge at the box. The smell itself was intoxicating.

“He doesn’t say much,” Hanna commented, setting plates on the table.

“There was an accident at his old home and he stopped talking because of it. In time he will, though.” Raf opened the pizza box and set a slice on each plate.

“Well, if he’s going to be staying then this is the last night he eats greasy food. The poor thing needs to put on some weight. He probably shouldn’t be eating this now, but we both know I can’t stop you when you’ve gone off and ordered it after I told you I disapproved,” Hanna grunted.

“We all deserve something healthy every once in a while,” Raf said, taking a bite of his pizza. Hanna rolled her eyes and began bickering with Raf.

Fallon sat quietly listening to them go back and forth. He snorted again when Hanna accused Raf of being softhearted receiving a look from the both of them. Fallon gave them both a look that interpreted a sarcastic remark if he did talk.

“He might not speak, but you can certainly tell what he’s thinking. He’s got a bit of an attitude,” Hanna commented, smiling slightly. “That’ll be good for you. A challenge instead of men falling over themselves to please you.”

“I don’t expect him to please me,” Raf muttered. “I just want him to be happy.”

“You want him to be happy with you.” Hanna smiled at Fallon, her green eyes sparkling.

“If he wants that, yes.” Raf glanced at Fallon and motioned to his food. “Is it good?”

Fallon nodded, helping himself to another slice. Hanna sat at the table with them, talking to Raf like they were friends. It surprised Fallon. Raf might be a kind master, but what slave would enjoy chatting with the man who owned them?

At the mention of his name, Fallon glanced back at the two and found Hanna watching him. 

“Poor baby,” Hanna sighed. “His eyes are dull and he looks much older then he is. It’s going to take a long time to get him healthy.”

“I know it will,” Raf whispered, reaching for Fallon’s hand. “You should see what they did to him, it’s downright inhuman. We’ll just have to give him all the time he needs.” He reached up and cupped Fallon’s face in his hands, his thumb rubbing over a sunken cheek. “You should get some more rest. I’ve got some work to do right now, but I’ll join you later.”

Fallon nodded, glancing at Hanna as he stood. He took his dishes to the sink and left the two sitting at the table. He was already in his pajamas so he crawled into bed and fell asleep seconds later.

~~~  
Fallon stepped onto the landing of the second floor and looked around. There were two rooms, along with another full bath. One room was a bedroom and the other looked to be used for storage. 

Boxes and boxes were piled around the room, collecting dust wile they waited to be moved again. Fallon slid between the stacks, reading the labels as he moved. Most were labeled ‘dad,’ which Fallon assumed were gifts hidden away so Raf didn’t have to deal with them. Others were labeled ‘things to burn’ and there were three that said ‘never open again.’ Those boxes had several layers of tape on them that would take days to cut through.

He moved on, reading the labels of each box and trying to decide what they meant to his master. He paused when he spotted a box labeled ‘art’ tucked in the corner of the room and strode over to it. The flaps were tucked under each other instead of taped and Fallon gently opened the box. 

His heart gave a small jump when he found several different sized sketchbooks inside. He pulled out the first one and flipped through it, surprised to find it as empty. The next two were also empty and Fallon wondered why his master would keep them up here. Maybe he had attempted to learn to draw and then forgot about them in a move? He found sketch pencils underneath the books and cautiously picked them up. One looked like it had been used, but the rest were brand new.

“Fallon?” Fallon jumped and spun around, clutching the sketchpad to his chest. Raf stood behind him looking amused. How was this man so silent? “I see you found my storage room.” Fallon looked around and nodded. He held the sketchpad closer when Raf stepped forward, unwilling to let this treasure go just yet. “Those sketchbooks are from school,” he explained, looking down at the box. “I had to take an art class and I bought everything on the list they gave me the first day of class.”

Fallon watched his master dig through another pile of boxes. He lifted one box off the floor and brought it over to Fallon. He set it down and pulled off the crumpled lid. Inside were boxes of pastels, charcoal, paints, brushes and several other things to sketch with. It all looked brand new and it made Fallon’s heart skip. He had been drawing on dirty scraps of paper for so long that he felt like he had hit the jackpot of drawing materials. 

“Turns out I’m a better lawyer then I am an artist. I don’t know anyone who can draw, so it’s been sitting up here since I graduated.”

Fallon glanced up at Raf and cocked his head. His master was a lawyer? Raf smiled and reached for the sketchpad. Fallon reluctantly let it go and Raf set it in the box. He reached for Fallon’s hands and held them gently in is own.

“I don’t think I told you I was a lawyer did I?” Fallon shook his head. “I’m not the kind of lawyer that spends all day in court,” Raf explained. “I write contracts and handle the sales of slaves. The only time I go to court is for an ownership battle and I’ve only done that twice.” He paused an looked at Fallon. “Do you like to draw?”

Fallon knew he should shake his head, but knowing the materials were up here collecting dust was too hard to pass up. He nodded, bringing a smile to Raf’s face. He kissed Fallon’s forehead and turned back to the boxes, stacking one on top of the other and lifting them into his arms.

“No point in leaving them up here, then. If there’s anything you want and it’s not in the box let me know and I’ll get it for you.”

Fallon stood stunned for a moment as he watched his master head for the stairs. Raf was just going to let him use his art supplies and buy him more if he wanted? There had to be some sort of catch to all this. He hurried after his master, suspicious about the man’s intention. 

Raf brought the boxes to his room and set them on the floor, opening the one with the sketchbooks. He handed one to Fallon, giving him an amused smile at the look on Fallon’s face. “I’m not going to use them, Fallon,” Raf assured, waving the book at him. “If you want to draw I’m not going to stop you.”

Fallon nodded, still a little suspicious as he took the sketchbook. He dug around the other box, looking over the items inside. He loved using charcoal despite how messy it was and there was an endless supply of it now. It had been so long since he’d had real supplies and now that he had it, he was thrilled. 

He realized that he needed to thank his master and he paused, setting his collection back in the box. He turned to Raf and stepped forward, sliding his arms around Raf’s neck. Raf chuckled and returned the hug. “You’re welcome, beau.”

Fallon buried his face against Raf’s neck and held onto him tighter. It wasn’t often Fallon could enjoy being held without worrying about an ulterior motive. Raf hummed his approval and kissed Fallon’s cheek. “Do you want to take your sketchpad to the garden? I have some work to do out there.” Fallon nodded and gathered his things, taking Raf’s hand when he was ready. 

The garden was larger then Fallon had thought, filled with fruits, vegetables and an assortment of colorful flowers. Raf left him by a small bench and went off to find his tools. Fallon settled on the warm wood bench and began sketching the flowers. 

He became absorbed in his work, lost to the world around him. Everything was inspiration. From the insects climbing the stems to the droplets of water sliding off the petals as Raf cared for his plants. Fallon’s attention soon turned to his master and before he knew it, he was sketching him too. Fallon’s fingers were practically black by the time Raf finished in the garden and he had gone through several pieces of sketch paper. 

“Do I get to see?” Raf asked when he stepped towards Fallon.

Fallon glanced down at the sketch he had been working on and quickly shook his head. He didn’t want his master knowing that most of his drawings were of him, especially since he hadn’t realized he had been drawing them. He had been so wrapped up in his work that his fingers had taken on a mind of their own.

Raf huffed a laugh and kissed the top of Fallon’s head. He held out his hand, always giving Fallon the option to accept it or not. Fallon shut his sketchbook and took Raf’s hand. “Dinner will be ready soon,” Raf told him as they made their way back to the house. 

Hanna had the table set and the food served when they stepped into the kitchen and she shuttled them over to the table, stating they needed to eat while it was still hot. It was so homely that Fallon felt like he was eating dinner with a real family instead of his master and another slave. Raf and Hanna spoke to each other throughout dinner while Fallon listened quietly. He enjoyed seeing the calm conversation turn into fond bickering and then back to a normal conversation every few seconds. Raf and Hanna were currently bickering about Hanna going to see her son.

“You need to stop talking to him, Rafael. He can take care of himself and he doesn’t need me around,” Hanna scolded.

“I can take care of myself too,” Raf replied. “I did it all through school and I’d still be doing it if my father hadn’t insisted on hiring you.”

“Your father means well and I shudder at the thought of what the thought of that house looked like. I bet you didn’t eat a single vegetable while you lived with those men.”

Raf laughed and winked at Fallon. “She’ll never believe that at one point I actually cleaned my own bathroom and cooked my own food. I even ate vegetables without someone telling me I had to. Though, I did try to spoil Cade while he was there. It used to make Eden crazy.”

Fallon didn’t know who Cade or Eden was, but he assumed Cade was a slave and Eden was his master. He nodded to show his master he was listening and turned back to his baked chicken and asparagus. Dinner continued with more playful bickering and Raf sent her home the moment the dishes were washed.

Raf and Fallon spent the next hour lounging on the couch while Raf flipped through channels and fed Fallon brownies Hanna had hidden from them in a cabinet. It was nice spending time relaxing with his master, knowing Raf wasn’t expecting sex when they went to bed. Fallon wondered how long that would last. 

“I think it’s time for bed,” Raf told him when Fallon yawned. He flipped off the television and stood, holding his hand out again. Fallon took it without hesitation and let his master lead him to the bedroom, shutting both doors even though no one else was in the house. 

Fallon stood quietly by the bed while Raf pulled off his shirt, gasping softly when he got a clear view of Raf’s back. A large sword tattoo rand down the right side of his back, the intricate design that formed the hilt and cross-guard making it look almost like a Celtic cross. Fallon’s mind was already recreating the tattoo in his mind so he could draw it later. 

“Fallon?” Raf said softly, forcing Fallon away from his imagination. He looked into Raf’s grey eyes and cocked his head. “I would like to know if it’s alright if I touch you. I want to look you over myself and see what more I can do to help. There won’t be any sex involved, I promise.”

Fallon looked into Raf’s sincere eyes, letting the realization that he could say no and Raf would obey sink in. It felt good to have some sort of power over the man, even if it was regulated by him. Instead of saying no just to see what would happen, Fallon nodded his head, curious to see how well his master could restrain himself when he was touching Fallon.

Raf smiled softly and stepped forward, sliding his hands under Fallon’s shirt, pushing it up over his head. He trailed his fingers down Fallon’s arms, kissing his forehead as he stepped closer. “Lay on the bed for me, please,” he whispered, guiding Fallon back.

Fallon climbed onto the bed and laid down, resting his head on a soft pillow. Raf followed after him, trailing his nose up Fallon’s right arm. His lips fluttered over Fallon’s skin, lingering for mere seconds before moving away. “Your skin is so dry, I’m going to have to dig out the lotion,” Raf breathed, kissing a scar just above his pectoral muscle. “The fish oil will help that, along with all the other vitamins you’ll be taking.”

Fallon grunted at the mention of all the pills he was going to have to take, lifting his head to watch his master slide lower on his body. He slowly lifted his hands, cautiously slipping them through Raf’s red hair. Raf made a small sound of approval when Fallon’s fingers rested against the back of his neck. 

Raf slowly kissed across Fallon’s stomach, popping the buttons on his jeans. He slid them off Fallon’s slim waist and moved slowly until he was between his legs. Fallon stiffened when Raf took his cock in his hand, lifting it to inspect the underside. He brushed his lips over the crisscross of scars at the base that had been left behind from his surgery and then gently took hold of his testicle. 

“I probably should have asked you this before, but is it uncomfortable if I touch it?” Raf asked, his grey eyes lifting to watch Fallon’s face. 

Fallon shook his head. He had been handled by so many men that the scars were no longer sensitive. Raf still took great care as he kissed over the mangled skin, sliding his thumb over the smoother areas. He moved with the same care down each leg and then rolled him over. 

Raf whispered gentle words as he inspected the back of Fallon’s thighs, touching only what he needed and nothing more. Raf spread his legs wider so Raf could move between them, tensing when Raf’s hands curled over his ass and spread his cheeks. 

He was gentle while he inspected Fallon’s worn body, his touch tender until Fallon relaxed. When Raf was finished he gently patted Fallon’s ass and moved further up his body. His fingers were careful not to linger on the web of scars over Fallon’s lower back, grunting something about master’s overusing the whip.

Fallon smiled at his master’s ramblings, tilting his head when lips slid over the back of his neck. Raf’s fingers prodded him to turn over when he was done inspecting and Fallon did so willingly.   
“I have one more request,” Raf told him, cupping his face in his hand. “I want to kiss you, but I want you to kiss me back. We won’t know if you actually enjoy it until you do.”

Fallon huffed and rolled his yes, tilting his head back and allowing the kiss. He would entertain his master for now. Raf smiled and brought their lips together. Fallon was hesitant at first to join in, but a little coaxing from Raf finally got him to participate. 

The first slide of their lips together sent and odd rush of feeling through Fallon and one kiss suddenly turned into two and two turned into more. He gasped when Raf’s tongue slid over his lips and Fallon surprised himself by opening his mouth. 

Raf’s tongue was warm and gentle as it explored Fallon’s mouth, gliding slowly in an out and eliciting a small moan from Fallon. Raf smiled against his lips and deepened the kiss, his hands never moving away from Fallon’s face. The kiss grew more heated and Fallon found himself sliding his hands around Raf’s neck to pull him closer. 

Raf growled deep against his chest, sliding forward and laying his body out over Fallon’s. The rough denim against his abused thighs sent a shiver up Fallon’s spine. Fallon welcomed the weight and slid his legs up to squeeze Raf’s hips. 

Suddenly, Raf grunted and jerked away, rolling away so he was laying next to Fallon instead of over him. “Sorry,” Raf breathed after several long seconds of silence. He rolled back over and slid an arm over Fallon’s waist. “If we kept going other parts of me would have started reacting and you’re not ready for that.”

Fallon nodded, rolling into Raf when he turned onto his side. Raf gave him a bright smile and stole a quick kiss. His hand curled around Fallon’s thigh and he lifted his leg, hooking it over his hip.  
“I normally sleep naked,” Raf confessed, rubbing their noses together. “But I’ll live for tonight if you’ll let me hold you like this.”

Fallon gave him a tentative smile and slid closer, tucking his head under Raf’s chin. He curled on arm over Raf’s side and tucked the other between them. 

“Good night, beau,” Raf whispered, flipping off the light.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I haven't forgotten about this story. I'm slowly working on it, but with work and my own horses my writing unfortunately gets pushed aside. It might take me a while to get it finished, but I promise I won't abandon it.

Gentle fingers sliding over Fallon’s back roused him from his sleep and he stretched his arms out over his head. He was sideways on the large bed and pretty much draped over Raf’s body. He pushed himself up to look down at his master, cocking his head at Raf’s glinting grey eyes.

Raf chuckled and ran his fingers through Fallon’s hair. “You must feel comfortable here, you pretty much spread yourself out and took over the bed last night.”

Fallon flushed and tried to move away, only to have Raf grab his arm and pull him back down. He tucked Fallon into the crook of his arm and set his head on his chest. Gentle fingers moved over Fallon’s back again, avoiding the few spots that were thick with scars. Fallon lay quietly against Raf’s body, sliding his arm over Raf’s stomach, feeling the skin shiver. 

The sudden chirp of Raf’s phone broke the silence, giving Fallon a nice view of Raf’s stretching muscles as he reached for the phone. “Hello?” he said, sliding back to where he was laying and holding Fallon closer.

Fallon sighed as he settled again, sliding his hand up Raf’s chest, only to have its travel disturbed when Raf suddenly sat upright. “Lucas’s father did what?” he demanded, a look of shock and anger passing over his face. 

Fallon huffed at the disturbance and decided to give his master some privacy as he spoke to the person on the phone. He slid off the bed and moved to the bathroom to take care of himself. He was still naked from the night before, and he began searching for his clothes when he stepped out of the bathroom. 

“Fallon,” Raf called, holding the phone away from his mouth. He waved Fallon back to the bed, smiling as he pulled the slave into his lap. “How long do you think he’s been forging checks, and where is Lucas now?” Raf asked the person on the phone, sliding one arm around Fallon’s waist and pulling him to his chest. “Do they think Lucas is helping him?”

Raf’s brows furrowed and he cursed colorfully at whatever answer he was given. Fallon wondered if Lucas was a friend and what kind of forged checks his father was making. It all sounded very illegal to him, which meant it probably was. 

Raf asked a few more questions and gave a few more curses before the conversation apparently turned. His look became less tense and he smiled almost fondly. “Fallon is my new slave,” he answered to the apparent question. “I got him from Victor and I don’t want a lecture. Asides from the lack of nutrition, he’s healthy.”

Raf paused, snorting at something the other person said. “He’s a good boy, Eden, you don’t have to worry. Communication is a little tricky because he won’t say a word to me, but we’re getting by.” Raf paused again and rolled his eyes at Eden’s response. “I know, I know,” he said softly. “Just keep and eye out for Lucas and I’ll let you know if he shows up here.”

They spoke for a few seconds longer before Raf hung up the phone. He leaned back with a sigh and rubbed his face with his hand. Fallon sat up and looked at him, noting the sudden tension in Raf’s shoulders. When Raf dropped his hands, his brows were knit and his usually soft grey eyes were dark with worry. 

“My friend Lucas’s father has been forging checks under Lucas’s name,” Raf explained when he noticed Fallon watching him. “He did it to cover is tracks, but made the mistake of writing the checks out to cash and then depositing them into bank accounts that could be traced back to him. They don’t suspect Lucas had anything to do with it, but his lawyer told him to lay low for a few days so he’s disappeared. He called Eden to tell him what was going on, but he didn’t tell him where he was going.”

Fallon nodded, reaching up to run a gentle hand over Raf’s face. Raf smiled and caught Fallon’s hand in his, kissing the palm before pressing his cheek against it. “Lucas might show up here, so don’t be surprised if you find someone sitting in the kitchen one day. He’s a little tough to the slaves, but he won’t hurt you. Jace has been trying to break him of his old habits and it’s slowly working.”

Fallon cocked his head at the mention of Jace. He didn’t know who Jace was and from the way Raf spoke about him, he didn’t sound like a slave or Lucas’s boyfriend. Raf gave a low chuckle and nuzzled Fallon’s hand, sliding his own hand down Fallon’s arm. He took hold of Fallon’s hand and laced their fingers together.

“I think I should explain the odd relationship my friends have,” Raf started. “Eden was given a slave for his birthday about a year ago named Cade. After a few months Cade wormed his way into Eden’s heart and they fell in love. Actually, he captured the heart of most of the people he met.” Raf smiled at the memory of the man.

“As you can imagine, falling in love with a slave was frowned upon by Eden’s family and his father forged some paperwork so he could have Cade sold. The man who purchased Cade owned another slave named Jace and the two of them grew close. To make a long story short, Cade fell in love with Jace while he was still in love with Eden. When we found Cade again we met Jace too and discovered that Lucas was the one who had trained him. I’m not sure what went on between them during that time, but I do know he hurt Jace. I’ve seen him work with slaves before and he wouldn’t hesitate to punish them if they did something wrong. Lucas is better, but the marks he left behind lasted through the years and no matter what he does, he can’t make it up to Jace.

“We all assumed Lucas was going to buy Jace when his owner told us he was for sale, but there was too much pain between them at the time. While all that was going on, Cade confessed that he loved Jace to Eden and still loved Eden at the same time. Because of it, Eden decided to purchase Jace and let Cade choose who he wanted to be with. It ended up being the both of them. 

“Now Eden, Cade and Jace live together, very much in love. Lucas is still trying to mend his relationship with Jace and they like to spend time in bed together when Lucas comes to visit. They’re not in love, but they do enjoy each other’s company.” Raf shrugged, giving Fallon a crooked smile. 

Fallon stared at him for a moment and shook his head. He knew what a polyamorous relationship was, but he never heard of one working out. It was interesting to heat about Raf’s friends and Fallon wondered if he would ever meet them.

“Eden offered to let you stay with them when I go back to work, so you’ll meet them in a few weeks,” Raf said, reading Fallon’s thoughts. Fallon nodded, his expression falling when Raf began to look uncomfortable. “You have more doctors appointments today.”

Fallon scowled and pushed away from Raf, crossing his arms over his chest and looking up at the man. How many more doctors did he need to see? 

At the mention of doctors, Raf reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the tube of medication the proctologist prescribed to help Fallon’s body recover from the abuse he had endured.  
He scooted towards Raf and spread his legs, watching Raf coat his middle finger. “You have to go see the eye doctor and I also want to get your hearing checked. I assume you can hear me, but I just want to make sure. These are the last two, I promise. Your first appointment isn’t until one, so we’re going to get you some clothes beforehand.”

Fallon nodded, closing his eyes when Raf gently cupped his ass and slid his finger into him. Fallon shivered at the cold medication, sighing when Raf’s finger began to rub it into his sensitive skin. The medication warmed quickly and Fallon let himself feel Raf’s finger slide in and out of him. It felt nice, but there was still no sexual desire that ignited inside him. He was still broken.  
Raf withdrew his finger and Fallon slid back so he could stand up. They showered several minutes later and ate a quick breakfast that consisted of more pills then food for Fallon. Hanna fussed over them while they ate, piling more food on Fallon’s plate then his stomach could handle. She frowned when Fallon refused to eat more then he could, claiming that he would never put on weight if he didn’t eat.

“Hanna, please, he’s eaten plenty. You can’t force the weight on him, it’ll come with time,” Raf chastised gently.

“I know, I know,” Hanna murmured. “I just can’t stand to see the poor thing so thin.”

Raf smiled at Fallon and winked when their eyes met. He motioned for Fallon to follow him when he stood and they headed to the garage. Raf took Fallon’s hand when they got in the car, lacing their fingers together while he drove. 

Buying clothes with Raf more of a chore then it was anything else. Fallon tried on more clothes then he had ever seen in his life and spent more time fighting with Raf about the clothes he was trying on then he did enjoying that he was actually getting new clothes.

Raf claimed that Fallon would need nice clothes to wear for outings, but Fallon wasn’t okay with the amount of button up shirts and slacks Raf bought. All he wanted was jeans, t-shirts and hoodies and he would be happy. He hated wearing nice clothes, they reminded him of too many bad memories. 

Once Raf was satisfied with the clothes, shoes, and whatever else he forced Fallon into, they were off to the optometrist. Fallon had only seen an eye doctor once when he was younger and he wondered how they were going to perform the tests if he refused to speak.

The solution was to have him write the letters he saw on a pad of paper. The doctor had explained that most of her patients were slaves and that Raf would be surprised how many of them didn’t speak. It both comforted and disturbed Fallon that he wasn’t the only one who had been through hell and stopped asking for help because no on gave it to them.

After being told he had perfect eyesight and healthy eyes, they were off to the ear, nose and throat specialist. Fallon came out of the exam with another clean bill of health and they were headed back home. 

“We’re still going to have to do more clothes shopping,” Raf told him as they pulled into the garage. Fallon grunted and rolled his eyes, wondering how much clothing Raf thought he needed. “Don’t give me that,” Raf huffed, reaching out and gently taking Fallon’s chin in his hand and turning his head to look at him.

“You’ll need clothes for several occasions, you’re even going to need a suit.” Raf smiled when Fallon groaned. “Got to look sharp for the parties.”

Fallon scowled at his master and jerked his face out of his hand. He popped open the car door and got out, shutting it in Raf’s face. He could hear Raf chuckling from the driver’s seat as he moved to the trunk, pushing it open when Raf pulled the release. 

“You really are adorable when you’re grouchy,” Raf said softly, coming up behind Fallon and setting his hands on his hips. Fallon gritted his teeth, reaching into the trunk and grabbing a bunch of bags. He wasn’t annoyed with Raf about the clothes shopping or the gentle touched; he just didn’t want Raf to think he was getting comfortable with him. The last thing he wanted was for Raf to start thinking Fallon trusted him and take advantage of it, regardless of the fact that Fallon actually was starting to trust him. Raf put on a very good act when it came to pretending to care.

Raf gave a small sigh and leaned down to nuzzle Fallon’s neck. “You’ve got to relax, beau, all this stress is going to give you ulcers.” 

Fallon snorted and shook Raf off, carrying his bags towards the house. He shook his shoulders when he stepped inside, trying to shake off the feel of Raf’s mouth on his skin. He couldn’t trust Raf; he couldn’t put himself through that trauma again.


	4. Chapter 4

Fallon stepped out of his master’s room and walked towards the kitchen, grumbling slightly. He had had another good morning with Raf, which left him both agitated and confused. He didn’t know whether or not he could trust Raf yet and he found himself getting mad at the fact that his own body wanted to enjoy Raf’s attention, but refused to react like it use to.

He rubbed his arm, feeling the remainder of the lotion Raf had rubbed on him cling to his skin. He paused when he stepped over the tiled entryway and into the kitchen area of the round house, staring at the tall man sitting at the counter. He was sipping a cup of coffee and chatting with Hanna, smiling softly as she told him about her son. 

Fallon stepped further into the room nodding at Hanna when she wished him a good morning, his eyes watching the man as he turned his head, his green eyes quickly assessing Fallon before he turned back to Hanna. “Who is this?” he asked, his voice deep and commanding.

“That’s Fallon,” Hanna replied. “Rafael’s new slave.”

“Slave?” the man asked curiously, climbing off his stool and walking over to Fallon. 

Fallon suddenly felt like an animal being assessed for slaughter when the man pinned him with his gaze and he crossed his arms over his chest and glared up at the man.

“Look at that defiant gaze,” the man whispered, taking Fallon’s chin between his fingers. “I can think of a few men who would enjoy seeing that look on their slaves and Raf isn’t one of them.”

“Lucas,” Raf’s voice drew the man’s attention and he smiled softly t Raf’s surprised expression. Lucas released Fallon’s chin and he straightened. Raf stepped towards him and pulled Lucas into a hug, drawing out a chuckle from the other man. “Eden called and told me what was going on. Are you alright?”

“No,” Lucas replied sincerely, returning Raf’s tight hug. “I’m caught up in a shit storm and the media wants to slander my name for something I didn’t do. I’m sorry for the sudden appearance, but can I stay here for a few days?”

“Stay as long as you want,” Raf welcomed, releasing Lucas and taking a step back. “If you need any help, let me know.”

Lucas gave a small smile and nodded. “Thanks, Raf.” He glanced down at Fallon and then back at Raf, his smile turning mischievous. “So, you have a new slave?”

“Victor called me and asked me to take him,” Raf replied, shifting uncomfortably.

“And you took him?” Lucas asked sounding surprised.

“He’s been begging me for weeks,” Raf explained. “I went down to see him and I just couldn’t leave him there.”

“Why? What’s wrong with him?” Lucas asked, sounding slightly worried.

“Guy tied him up and then bound his testicles with a rubber band. They ignored his screams until it was too late. He lost one and they just barely managed to save the other. He stopped talking after that and then he stopped caring if he made his customers happy. If I didn’t take him he would have been sent to sale.”

“And we all know where they end up,” Lucas nodded, sounding solemn. “How long have you had him?”

“A week.”

“Has he been giving you trouble?” Lucas turned a critical eye towards Fallon and studied him.

“Asides from the not talking and the slight attitude, no. He’s been well behaved and does what I ask, I just don’t think he’s starting to trust me at all,” Raf sighed.

“Oh he’s definitely starting to trust you,” Lucas said, smiling when Fallon glared at him. “He’s just afraid you’re going to use it against him.”

“I told him I wouldn’t.”

“And we both know they believe you when you say that.” Lucas rolled his eyes. “I know you’re showing him that you care, but you might have to try harder.”

“What more am I supposed to do?” Raf demanded. Fallon was surprised to hear the frustration growing in his master’s voice.

“Just keep doing what you’re doing,” Lucas soothed. “You’ve gotten the tough ones to break before, you’ll do it again. You’re too gentle for them to hate you.”

“Thanks,” Raf muttered, reaching out to touch Fallon’s arm.

“I would suggest, however, you show him that you won’t force him into sex and that you’ll be gentle when he does decide he’s ready for it.”

Hanna tittered something about not needing to hear this conversation and went off to do something out of hearing range. Raf crossed his arms over his chest and gazed at Lucas in obvious frustration. Fallon found both the look and the topic slightly amusing and he chuckled softly.

Raf and Lucas glanced at him and he gave them both a shit-eating grin. 

“Well, he’s got quite a personality,” Lucas laughed.

“What do you mean show him I’ll be gentle?” Raf demanded. “That’s all I’ve been doing since he got here.”

“Yeah, but you’re not fucking him, it’s different,” Lucas replied matter of factly. “He needs to see that you’re nice to your bedmates, Raf. He needs to see what you like. God, let him watch you jerk off a few times just so he gets a feel for you. Then move on, bring someone home, let him watch and then let him figure himself out. He’s been so against being used for so long that he’s probably forgotten how much he enjoys sex. Buy him some toys and let him explore.”

Raf hummed and looked down at Fallon. Fallon could see the wheels turning in his master’s head and he felt something swell inside him. He had always enjoyed when his clients used toys on him. It meant he could control his pleasure, even after his accident. He met Raf’s eyes and shrugged, hopping his willingness to try the toys didn’t translate to something else when his master interpreted it.

“Are you liking the toy idea?” Raf asked, waiting until Fallon nodded. “And the watching me fuck someone else?”

Fallon frowned slightly. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Raf taking someone else to bed, even if it was to help Fallon overcome his fear. He wasn’t even sure if he would want to watch Fallon jerk off because it didn’t mean he would be that way with Fallon. He gave a noncommittal shrug and looked away.

“Alright, well start with the toys then,” Raf sighed, sliding his hand along Fallon’s back. He pushed him to the kitchen and set him in a chair, doling out vitamins for Fallon to take. “When did you become an expert on trust?” Raf asked Lucas when he sat next to Fallon.

“Jace has been lecturing me about it,” Lucas replied, smiling softly. “He wants me to do it right with me next slave.” 

“Are you planning on getting another slave soon?” Raf asked, dishing some yogurt into a bowl and slicing fruit for Fallon. 

“I don’t know,” Lucas sighed, reaching out and sliding his fingers through Fallon’s hair. “I kind of want to to prove to Jace that I’m better, but I’m also afraid that I’m going to fuck it all up.”

“I’m sure Jace will give you an earful if you do,” Raf gave his friend a teasing smile. “I think you’re worrying too much about it. You know how to be gentle; you just need to remember that you’re not a bad person.”

Lucas nodded, a frown etching his face. His fingers continued to stroke Fallon’s hair while they ate, curling his fingers around the locks absently. Fallon let the man use him for comfort, taking his pills like a good boy and eating healthy to make Hanna happy, even though he knew Raf would feed him sweets when she was gone.

Raf and Lucas continued to talk about their lives, their jobs and the friends they hadn’t seen in a long time. Lucas agreed when Raf told him that Eden offered to take Fallon when he returned to work, stating that Cade and Jace would be good for him. Fallon wondered how two slaves could make him feel better about being a beaten and broken slave.

“Will you three be alright if I go out for a few hours?” Hanna asked once the dishes were cleaned form breakfast. 

“You better be visiting your son while you’re out,” Raf warned.

“He’s taking me to lunch,” Hanna rolled her eyes. “I’ve also got to go to the store and take your suits to the drycleaners before I come back and start dinner.” She grabbed her purse and the suits and turned to look at them. “You three behave while I’m gone.”

“By Hanna,” both Raf and Lucas called as she left, both chuckling softly. A mischievous smile crept over Raf’s face when the door closed and he turned his gleaming grey eyes to Lucas. Lucas shared the smile and he glanced at Fallon.

“Your master’s got something up his sleeve,” Lucas told him, giving Fallon a wink.

Fallon frowned at the two men, worried that whatever Raf had planned wouldn’t be good for him.

“Don’t call me his master,” Raf growled, swatting at Lucas. “I’ve got a few trees that need to come down in the backyard and wood that needs to be chopped.”

“You enjoy putting me to work when I come to visit don’t you?” Lucas muttered, narrowing his dark green eyes.

“It’s good for you,” Raf quipped. He turned his attention to Fallon and smiled. He slipped around the counter and leaned down, pressing their lips together. “Why don’t you go grab your sketchpad and sit in the garden while we work?”

Fallon nodded, hopping off the stool and heading towards the bedroom. He grabbed his things and followed the other two men outside and into the garden. Overhead clouds rolled through the sky, making the air cooler. Raf had brought a blanket out and laid it on the bench Fallon chose to sit at while he drew.

“You can walk the garden if you want, but don’t go anywhere else,” Raf told him, kissing Fallon’s forehead and heading to the garage. Lucas had walked towards a pile of logs on one side of the house, grabbing an ax that leaned against a small woodpile. Fallon wondered why Raf had so much wood when he didn’t have a fireplace to burn it in. 

He watched Lucas chop wood for a few minutes before turning his attention to Raff, who was cutting down a few larger trees on the edge of the forest. They looked older, almost dead and if they fell wrong, they would take out Raf’s bedroom. Fallon was surprised that a man with so much money was willing to do hard labor like cut down trees and split logs. 

He let his eyes travel down to his sketchpad, his fingers curling over the pages. The only inspiration he was having was his master and he didn’t want to draw him any more then he already had. He stood up and wandered into the garden, hoping to get his mind off his master. He smelled the blooming flowers, smiling at the sweet smell. He had gone too long trapped in in a house that smelled like sweat and sex. 

When he stepped into the vegetable garden, Fallon found several ready to be picked peapods. He glanced around, making sure he couldn’t be seen before pulling a few off the stems. He pulled them open and picked out the peas, popping them in his mouth. He hummed at the sweet taste and smiled. He pulled off a few more to eat while he walked and headed down a row. 

Squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, and green beans took up most of the space, along with what looked like an attempt at corn and potatoes. There were bushes of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries taking up one side of the garden. The ground around them had been turned up recently and the bushes trimmed. Raf had probably split them to keep them from overtaking the rest of the garden. 

It was still too early for them to have berries and a the only indication that a few of the plots in the garden had been planted were the little signs that named what seeds were nestled in that row. Fallon assumed they would start to come up soon, considering they were moving quickly into June. He rounded a corner of the garden and found a small open space where a hammock hung between two posts, slightly shaded by the trees. 

Fallon glanced around, noting that Raf could still see him and headed towards the hammock. He climbed in and laid down, sighing as the rocking helped him relax. He dozed for a while, listening to the chainsaw slice through the trees and the hard ‘thwack’ of the ax splitting the wood. When the noise finally ceased, Fallon cocked his head, but he didn’t open his eyes, still too comfortable to move. 

“Enjoying yourself?” Raf asked, close to Fallon’s ear. 

Fallon jumped slightly and cracked open an eye. The sight he was met with made his gut cramp. Raf stood over him, bare chested and covered in a thin layer of sweat. His chest heaved slightly and the sun gleamed off the trail of sparse red hair that snuck below the waistband of his jeans. Fallon slid his eyes up Raf’s stomach, chest and face until he met his master’s eyes. 

“What’s that look for?” Raf chuckled, moving closer and stopping the slow rocking with his hand. He leaned down and kissed Fallon, who immediately returned the kiss. Raf hummed against Fallon’s lips, sliding his hands into his hair. Fallon reached up and curled his fingers around the back of Raf’s neck, pulling him closer.

Raf’s tongue slid over Fallon’s bottom lip, followed by his teeth. Fallon gave a small whimper when Raf sucked on his bottom lip, his fingers digging into Raf’s skin. His tongue flicked out when Raf pulled away, sliding over his abused lower lip. Raf groaned softly and leaned down, capturing Fallon’s tongue between his lips before overtaking his mouth again.

Raf’s hand slid down Fallon’s neck, over his chest and stopped to rest gently on Fallon’s hip. The kiss continued on, slow and intimate for several more seconds before Raf pulled back. He eased himself into the hammock and settled next to Fallon. Fallon’s hand slid over Raf’s chest, feeling the muscle tremble beneath his fingertips.

“I could get used to this,” Raf whispered, tucking his finger under Fallon’s chin and lifting his head to kiss him again. Fallon hummed as he turned in the hammock, sliding one leg over Raf’s waist and setting his hands on his chest. Fallon breathed in the sweet smell of sweat, humming again when Raf’s scent sent a rush of butterflies fluttering through his stomach. 

“When the two of you are done checking each other’s tonsils, you can find me inside,” Lucas growled, hovering over the hammock with his hands on his hips. He had also removed his shirt, revealing a small scattering of dark hair across his chest. 

“We’ll meet you inside in a minute,” Raf replied, keeping his focus on Fallon. Lucas shook his head, but Fallon caught a small smile on his face as he turned away. “Fallon?” Fallon glanced back at his master and settled his head against his outstretched arm. “I want you to tell me truthfully if you want to try the toys or not. I don’t want you to feel pressured about it, even though I agree with Lucas’s logic. I want you to enjoy sex again, even if it isn’t with me.” 

Fallon let out a slow breath and scooted forward, pressing his lips gently to Raf’s. He hummed at him and nodded, grazing his fingers over Raf’s chest. He wanted to tell Raf that he liked the toys more, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Raf nodded and slid his hand to Fallon’s throat, stroking the skin gently.

“Alright, beau, we can try the toys and then go from there,” Raf breathed, closing his eyes and resting their foreheads together.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't forgotten about this story, I promise. Actually, I've got a few chapters written, I just haven't gone back and done edits. Also, I'm working on a book or two I might actually try to publish. I've been going back and forth on a couple stories I've been working on, I just have to pick one and finish it. So that's what's been going on with me and why it takes me forever to update.

Fallon laid spread out on the couch, bored out of his mind. He had spent enough time sitting around and relaxing; now he wanted something to do. Drawing was no longer holding his attention, especially since most of his work revolved around his master. He wasn’t mad about that, Raf was a beautiful man and Fallon enjoyed drawing him. He was just weary what Raf would think if he found the pictures.

Apparently Raf was feeling the same amount of boredom too because he was currently holed up in his room working on some sort of contract for a sale. He had promised Fallon he would be out in a few hours, but half the day had gone by and Fallon still hadn’t seen his master.

“Sit up,” someone said, gently poking Fallon’s arm. Fallon pulled his arm away from his eyes and blinked up at Lucas. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and turned so he could face the man when he sat down. Lucas took a seat next to him and smiled gently. “I’m still surprised he took you from Victor,” he commented, reaching out a hand and cupping Fallon’s face.

“You seem to be in good health, though, and Raf told me that the doctor confirmed that your tests were negative. You’re a lucky man.” Fallon frowned at the comment. How could he be lucky in his condition? “I know you don’t believe me, especially since some asshole took a testicle from you. But that’s all that happened to you, Fallon. Most of the slaves that leave there leave in a body bag. You left alive and were given to a good man. Anyone else would have been sent to the lowest of low sales and sold off to a man who probably would have taken the other testicle from you.”

Fallon watched him with blank green eyes, thinking about the other slaves he saw dragged out of that house. Why Victor kept him after his surgery, Fallon didn’t know and Lucas seemed to be wondering the same thing. It wasn’t like Victor used him for his own personal pleasure, and Fallon was sure the men he had gone to bed with didn’t like him enough for Victor to keep him either.  
“Were you a virgin before you were take off the streets?” Fallon jerked back in surprise and looked up at Lucas. The change of subject had caught him off guard and he quickly shook his head. “So you’d had sex before?” Fallon nodded his head. “Was it consensual?” Fallon nodded again, cocking his head to look at Lucas. “Before you were taken off the streets, we’re you ever forced into sex?”

Fallon shook his head, fidgeting slightly. He didn’t understand where Lucas was going with this and he was worried the man was digging for information he could use to convince Raf that Fallon wasn’t good for him. He wondered if Lucas was looking for a way to force Raf into selling him.

“Don’t look so nervous,” Lucas said softly, gently stroking Fallon’s cheek. “I’m just trying to get a feel for your past sexual experiences. I want to help Raf. I know right now his mind isn’t focused on fucking you, but there will be a time where you’re both going to want it. You’re definitely Raf’s type and I can already tell that there is some amount of attraction between the two of you.”

Fallon nodded, he would admit that he felt something for Raf, but he wouldn’t admit ever wanting sex from the man.

Lucas smiled, his thumb sliding down Fallon’s cheek. It felt odd to have someone touch him like Raf did. Lucas continued to stroke his face as his smile turned into a smirk. He leaned forward until his face was inches from Fallon’s. “Do you know what the greatest thing about Raf buying you a whole bunch of sex toys is?” Fallon drew in a shallow breath and shook his head. Lucas’s smirk grew and he leaned closer, his lips brushing against Fallon’s when he spoke. “It’s that Raf will let you use those toys on him.” A shiver ran up Fallon spine and his eyes widened.

Lucas hummed leaning forward and pressing their lips together. Fallon jerked, but Lucas wrapped his hand around the back of his head to keep him from getting away. Fallon’s body tensed and he fought the urge to push the man away. Lucas didn’t push the kiss; he merely kept his lips pressed to Fallon’s. Movement out of the corner of his eye caused Fallon to twitch and he glanced over to see Raf standing in front of the couch.

“You’re scaring him, you know,” Raf scolded, his arms folded over his chest.

Lucas pulled back and looked up at him, while Fallon stared wide-eyed at the man. “Just wanted to see what would happen,” Lucas replied softly. He pulled his hand away, sliding it slowly down Fallon’s neck.

Raf sat down and held out a hand for Fallon. Fallon slid over to him and took his hand, letting Raf pull him into his lap. Raf kissed the top of Fallon’s head, his fingers sliding under his shirt.  
Fallon tucked his head under Raf’s chin and sighed as three fingers began caressing the skin just above the scars.

Lucas’s words played over and over in his head. The thought of using the toys on Raf was a little exciting. Fallon wasn’t completely convinced Lucas was telling the truth, but if he was, Raf was opening up something completely new for Fallon. Fallon had only topped a few times in his life, but he preferred to bottom. Sex toys meant he could use them on Raf while he fucked him.

That thought sent a completely different kind of shiver up Fallon’s spine. It had been a long time since he imagined being fucked and now that he was doing so, it scared him a little. To most slaves, less than two years of being forced to submit is nothing compared to their lifetime of it, but that time was long enough to ruin Fallon’s taste in sex and cause him to be weary about jumping into it again.

“I think you should start touching him more,” Lucas said, pulling Fallon out of his thoughts.

“What do you mean?” Raf asked curiously. “I’m always touching him.”

“I mean touch him more… intimately,” Lucas shrugged. “You know he’s weary about sex and I think avoiding it is making him worse. Sex is obviously off the table, but that doesn’t mean you can’t touch. See what he likes and doesn’t like. It’ll help him see that you’re not going to force him into anything he doesn’t want to do and it’ll help him learn to enjoy being touched again.”

“So you want me to just jump right into touching him, shove my hand down his pants and grope him in hopes that he’ll like it?” Raf said, his tone flat.

“Well when you put it like that,” Lucas muttered, waving a hand dismissively. “I know you sleep naked with him and I know you shower together. Do it then, ask him if it’s okay and do it, then ask him if he likes it. Come on, Raf, you know how to woo a guy in bed, do the same thing to him.”

“Yeah,” Raf sighed, splaying his hand over Fallon’s back.

Lucas was actually making sense and Fallon found himself willing to try it. He wouldn’t ask for it, but he wouldn’t say no if Raf tried. Fallon tilted his head back, nudging Raf’s chin with his nose before brushing his lips over the skin. Raf immediately dipped his head and gave Fallon the kiss he was looking for.

“See, you know what he wants, just listen to his body and you’ll be fine,” Lucas said, sounding slightly smug. Raf grunted into the kiss, pulling his hand away from Fallon’s back to do something that made Lucas laugh. “You’re just mad that I’m right,” Lucas said haughtily.

“I’ll tell you what I’m thinking,” Raf rumbled against Fallon’s lips. The vibrations sent a tingle down his tongue and Fallon smile as he stole one last kiss.

Lucas was watching them quietly, his head tilted and his smile soft. After a moment of silence he spoke again, changing the subject once more. “How are the horses doing? I hear you’ve got a derby prospect.”

“The only thing Echo will get me is the prospect of more vet bills,” Raf grumbled. “My little filly on the other hand is doing great in training. She might be a contender for the Oaks, but we’ve got a whole year before we get there.”

Lucas smiled and nodded, “when all this shit with my father blows over you and I are going to have to go look at horses.”

“I’ve got a nice gelding I just put into training you might like.”

Fallon scrunched his nose at the mention of horses. They were giant creatures that could run you over because they felt like it. There was no way he was going anywhere near a horse, even if Raf owned them. He would sit in the car if he had to.

Raf’s phone rang, forcing Fallon to crawl off his master’s lap so Raf could answer it. The look on Raf’s face when he picked it up told Fallon that he would be on the phone for at least an hour and that Fallon needed to find something else to do. A glance at Lucas told him he should probably do it somewhere else. He didn’t want to be questioned by the man again.

~~~  
Fallon rubbed his eyes as he stumbled towards the door near the kitchen. He wrenched open the door and blinked at the dim light surrounding the dining room table. Raf sat in a chair, typing away at his laptop. The light cast a shadow over his face, making his hair look brown and his grey eyes cloudy.

He looked up when the door to his bedroom opened and he smiled softly at Fallon. “Can’t sleep?” he asked gently. Fallon shook his head, making his way towards the table.

Raf scooted his chair back and let Fallon crawl into his lap before scooting forward again. Fallon settled against Raf’s chest, his hands resting against the man’s thighs. “Did you have another bad dream?” Raf asked quietly, his fingers typing away at the computer.

Fallon nodded slowly, watching his master’s fingers move across the keyboard before he looked up at the screen. Raf was writing another contract for some client who wanted custody of his father’s slave when he died. Fallon knew it was one of many legal contracts Raf had done over the last few days and it must have had a tight deadline considering he was working on it at two in the morning.

Fallon tapped his fingers against Raf’s thighs for a moment before he reached up and grabbed a pen and began doodling on a blank piece of paper. “Do you know how to read and write?” Raf asked suddenly.

Fallon glanced up at him, meeting his master’s grey eyes. He looked back down at the piece of paper and scribbled out: _Enough to get me by, never finished school_ , messily.

“Just curious,” Raf replied, kissing the top of Fallon’s head. “You’re welcome to read anything you want on my bookshelf and if there isn’t anything that interests you there, I can buy something for you.”

Fallon nodded. He had never been a fan of reading or writing when he had gone to school. He preferred to draw and that was about it. After several minutes of silent drawing, Fallon set the pen back down and settled back against Raf’s chest.

He dozed for several minutes, listening to the quiet clicking of the keyboard while Raf typed. Occasionally Raf would run his fingers through Fallon’s hair or grumble something softly before going to back his laptop. It was almost soothing sitting in Raf’s lap and listening to him work.

Fallon jerked out of his doze when Raf shifted to shut his laptop and he gently set a hand on Fallon’s stomach to keep him from smacking into the table. Fallon rubbed his eyes, noting the time that had had passed and Raf’s exhausted face. Raf gave a small yawn and shifted again, setting his hand on Fallon’s hip.

Fallon slid off the chair and turned to watch his master pack his computer away and stand. He took Fallon’s hand and flipped off the kitchen light, leading them back to the bedroom. They both stripped naked and slipped into bed, curling against each other.

Raf pressed against Fallon’s back, sliding his hand down Fallon’s chest and settling against his stomach. Fallon thought about what Lucas had said and wondered if his master would touch him if he asked. He subtly shifted his hips, brushing his ass against Raf’s cock. He wondered what it would feel like in his hands, but refrained from reaching behind him.

Raf hummed softly and his hand began to move downward again. “Is this okay?” he whispered when his fingers curled around Fallon’s cock.

Fallon sucked in a small breath and nodded, closing his eyes and letting himself feel Raf stroking him. Raf was slow as he moved his hand from base to tip, acting like he had all the time in the world.

Fallon found himself enjoying the feel of Raf touching him, even if his body still didn’t react correctly. Raf shifted for a moment and the pop of a bottle top cracked through the silence. Raf removed his hand from Fallon’s cock for a moment and when it returned, it was cool with lubricant, which warmed with each stroke.

Fallon gave a small moan when Raf’s thumb brushed over the head of his cock and he tilted his head forward when lips trailed over the back of his neck. He hadn’t been touched like this in a long time and the memory of gentler men filled his mind, reminding him why he enjoyed being touched so much. It also helped him give in to Raf’s ministrations and he moaned louder.

“You just need time,” Raf breathed against Fallon’s neck, nipping gently at the skin. “I’m willing to give you all the time you need.”

Fallon allowed himself another moan, pushing into Raf’s hand in hopes that his cock would do something. He shifted back and his entire body stiffened when his ass rubbed against Raf’s hard cock.

Raf shifted away immediately, pulling back so no part of him was touching Fallon. He flipped on the light and looked at Fallon wearily. Fallon glanced down at Raf’s hard cock and then back up to look into Raf’s eyes.

“Sorry,” Raf said sincerely. “I didn’t want you to know so I didn’t scare you. You just get me riled up, that’s all. I’m not going to force you into anything.”

Fallon nodded, looking down at his limp cock, still shining with cooling lube. A thought occurred to him and he pointed at himself and then at Raf’s cock. Raf’s eyes followed Fallon’s finger and he cocked his head and looked at him. Fallon repeated the gesture again.

“You want me to do what I did to you to myself?” he asked inquisitively.

Fallon shrugged and nodded. Lucas had said he should and they were already this far. Might as well keep going. The corner of Raf’s lips turned up and he shoved the covers towards the bottom of the bed. He left the light on as he laid down, adding more lube to his already covered hand and reaching for his own cock.

Fallon crossed his legs and turned so he could watch, wondering if this was what normal people did. It wasn’t like he had ever been in a relationship before he had become a slave. He’d just had a few fun nights with whomever he had met on the street.

Raf’s hand slid slowly up his cock and he closed his eyes and spread is legs to give Fallon a better viewpoint. “It’s been a long time since I’ve done this in front of someone,” Raf chuckled. “Even then it wasn’t for their entertainment.”

Fallon rolled his eyes and looked down at Raf’s hand. His testicles bounced slightly as his hand moved, urging Fallon to reach out and touch them. He gently cupped Raf’s testicles in his hand and slid his thumb over the middle, feeling the smooth skin.

They were heavy in Fallon’s hand and he squeezed them gently, drawing out a small moan from Raf. Fallon pulled his hand away, scowling at his own missing testicle. He would never have what Raf had; he would never be normal again.

“Don’t make that face,” Raf chided gently, reaching up and grabbing Fallon’s wrist. “He yanked him down and kissed him gently, pulling Fallon between his legs. Their cocks brushed together, one hard and hot, the other soft and cool with lube. Fallon pulled in a harsh breath through his nose, holding still so he didn’t brush against the man beneath him.

Raf groaned, pushing his hips up and rubbing his cock over Fallon’s stomach. His hands slid to Fallon’s hips as they kissed and he squeezed gently as he rolled over, putting Fallon beneath him. He rolled his hips one last time before rolling onto his back and taking his cock back into his hand.

He began stroking himself faster, spreading his legs wider and pushing his hips up. He let out a low moan and Fallon rolled onto his side to watch, his eyes tracing the vein that ran up his master’s cock. Raf’s hand was a blur as it moved over his cock, drawing out small beads of precome. Fallon set a hand on his chest, feeling Raf’s heart beat against the skin.

His green eyes traveled up to Raf’s face, watching his eyes slide closed and his head loll to one side. He had completely given over to his pleasure and it stirred something inside Fallon. Lucas had said that Raf would let him use the toys on him and the thought of putting that look of pleasure on his master’s face brought a flush to Fallon’s cheeks. Raf had that affect on him. There was nothing about the man that screamed he was dangerous and Fallon was finally starting to believe he was safe, even if his body didn’t yet want to.

Raf grunted, his hips jerking up and his cock pushing hard into his hand. He was writhing against the mattress, moaning and breathing harshly as sweat formed on every inch of his skin. Fallon could tell he was close when he squeezed his eyes tighter and tossed his head and he spurred Raf on by rubbing the palm of his hand over Raf’s nipple.

A short cry tore from Raf’s mouth and he arched off the bed as he came. Long strands of come shot from his cock, landing in long white lines across his chest and stomach. The sight left Fallon mesmerized. It had been a long time since he had actually been allowed to watch someone else’s pleasure; it had been even longer since he had enjoyed it. Lucky for him, Raf was very willing to let Fallon watch all he wanted.

“I have to admit, having you watch is a little bit of a turn on,” Raf chuckled, pushing himself up onto his elbows. He turned his grey eyes on Fallon and smile softly, almost bashfully. “Did you like it?”

Fallon tilted his head slightly to the side and nodded slowly. He had enjoyed it more then he had imagined. The only thing that could have made it better was if he had been able to join in.

A bright smile spread across Raf’s face and he leaned forward to steal a quick kiss before rolling off the bed. He disappeared into the bathroom, returning seconds later with a wet washcloth. He had already cleaned himself off and he slowly reached for Fallon so he could wipe the lube off his cock. When he was done, he tossed it into the laundry basket and crawled back into bed. Raf didn’t say another word as he settled under the covers and reached for Fallon, pulling him down for another gentle kiss. Fallon laid himself out over Raf’s body, sliding back between his legs. Fallon liked the position, he felt right draped across Raf’s body, almost like he was staking his claim of the man. It was an odd thought considering Raf was the one who owned him.

Sighing, Raf slid his fingers through Fallon’s hair, the silence saying more then any words could. They both enjoyed these quiet moments together where neither of them had to speak to convey a message, not that Fallon was really talking anyway. That thought had him wondering if he would ever speak to Raf. Right now the answer was no, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t want to at some point down the road.

He would just have to wait and see how things went.


	6. Chapter 6

“Maybe I should call out,” Raf said worriedly, his grey eyes tracking Lucas’s movements as he paced. Occasionally they would shoot a worried glance at Fallon before snapping back to his friend.

“You don’t need to call out,” Lucas replied gruffly.

He had just gotten off the phone with his own lawyer and things weren’t going well. Apparently Lucas’s father had created some sort of loophole in the system he had used to steal money and the investigators were now running around in circles. It also meant that Lucas was stuck in a tight spot until they found some sort of evidence that didn’t paint a giant guilty sign on the man’s back.

“I’ll be fine and Fallon will be fine. He needs to spend some time out of the house and with people who understand him. I’ve got to drive to the city anyway and meet with Caroline to see if I can think up something that might help the investigation.”

“God this is a nightmare,” Raf huffed, turning to look at Fallon. “I just feel like everything is going to go wrong today.”

Lucas stopped his pacing long enough to set a hand on Raf’s shoulder and he smiled softly. “You and I both know Cade and Jace will be good for him. There is no need to worry everything will be fine. But for that to happen, you can’t be late for work. Go and I’ll call you to let you know what happened after I talk with Caroline.”

Raf nodded and walked over to Fallon, taking his hand so they could shower and dress. Hannah had breakfast waiting for them when they left the bedroom and she scolded Raf when he touched less then half the food on his plate.

Fallon wished there was some way to comfort his master, but Raf’s distress seemed to be his own doing and only he could get rid of it.

When they were all ready to go Raf threatened Lucas if he didn’t call him and gave him a tight hug before he and Fallon headed out the door. When they were settled in the car, Raf took Fallon’s hand and squeezed gently, refusing to let go while he drove.

“I want to assure you that Eden, Cade, and Jace are good people. I don’t want you worrying about what they think of you either. They’re not going to expect you to talk and they won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

Fallon nodded, patting Raf’s hand gently to assure him that he was fine. All in all, it seemed that Raf was the more nervous of the two. It made Fallon wonder why his master was struggling about leaving him today. It wasn’t like he had a choice. He had to work if he wanted to live. Raf may have been off for two weeks, but that didn’t mean he didn’t spend his nights working on paperwork and contracts.

Raf drew in a deep breath as he pulled onto the highway and gave Fallon a tense smile. “Sorry, I’m just worried about you even though I know I shouldn’t. I lived with Cade, Jace, and Eden while I was in school and I know how laidback they are. I just don’t want to overwhelm you. Eden doesn’t treat Cade or Jace like his slaves. To him they are all lovers living together, all of them free.”

Fallon nodded, hiding his smile. Raf didn’t exactly treat him like a slave either. It would be nice, though, to see what his future might look like if Raf kept him. Maybe the man would even be willing to give him his freedom. That thought made him squeeze Raf’s hand tighter and he gave his master a quick smile when he glanced at him.

They drove closer to the city, the acres of grass transforming into houses that practically sat on top of one another and eventually became tall buildings crowded together. Though Fallon knew he wasn’t anywhere near the place he used to call home, he still shivered at the sight of the looming glass buildings.

Raf pulled under a large hotel and into the parking garage, moving quickly towards a parking spot that was reserved for the manager. “Eden’s uncle owns this particular chain of hotels and he lets Eden run them. It also means that the entire top floor is his apartment.”

Fallon looked up at the large building, imagining how big Eden’s apartment was. From the large rectangular shape of the building, he would say it was pretty big.

Fallon waited for Raf to climb out of the car before unbuckling his seatbelt and he took Raf’s hand when he opened his door. They made their way to the elevators and Raf pressed the up button.  
A slight fear seized Fallon and he forced himself to take a deep breath as they waited for the doors to open. The last time he had been in an elevator was when he had been at the holding center. They had dragged him into one and taken him to a private room where men of all different ages and sizes used him like a toy. He hadn’t realized how badly it had affected him until this very moment.

The elevator dinged, causing him to jump slightly when the doors ground open. He stood still for a moment, letting Raf tug on his hand before stepping into the square box. Raf pressed the top button and leaned back against the wall, unaware of Fallon’s unease.

The elevator began to rise and so did Fallon’s panic. He forced himself to breath normally, but when the elevator stopped in the lobby to let several people on, he couldn’t hold onto his composure any longer. Unsure of what else to do, he quickly reached for Raf and turned into him, burying his face in his master’s chest. He slipped his hand under Raf’s suit jacket and clutched his grey shirt where no one would see it wrinkled.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Raf whispered, sliding his fingers through Fallon’s hair.

Fallon heard a gentleman chuckle beside them. “Your slave is cute,” he told Raf. “Haven’t had him long have you?”

“Only a few weeks,” Raf replied, sounding confused.

“Then he’s probably still reeling from the sale. They keep them in a large building and drag them onto an elevator to take them up for training. That training isn’t always the best of experiences. I had a slave several years ago who used to breakdown and panic whenever we rode on an elevator. Took me a long time to convince him he was safe.”

“I didn’t realize that,” Raf said softly, not correcting the man about how he had gotten Fallon. His arm tightened around Fallon’s waist and his fingers carded gently through his hair as the packed car rose.

“He’s handling it very well. It won’t take you long to ease the fear,” the man explained. The elevator dinged again and the man bid them farewell, setting a gentle hand on Fallon’s shoulder before he left.

The elevator seemed to quiet again and Raf shifted slightly so he could lean down and whisper in Fallon’s ear. “Is that what’s going on? You’re thinking about the holding center?”

Fallon gave a jerky nod and pressed closer to Raf’s body. Raf cursed softly, pulling Fallon tighter when the elevator dinged again and several other people stepped on. Raf slid towards the back of the elevator, putting them in the corner so they weren’t in the way. Fallon was grateful that Raf didn’t push him away and force him to look at the faces he didn’t know.

Several grueling minutes later the elevator dinged again and Raf gently pulled Fallon off the metal box. “We have to take another elevator up to Eden’s apartment. I’m sorry, Fallon, I wish there was another way up there.”

Fallon nodded in understanding. It would take hours to climb all the stairs and neither of them would have made it very far before getting exhausted. At the end of the hall, Raf extracted a keycard from his pocket and swiped the lock on the outside of the elevator, pushing the up button when the light blinked green.

He kept Fallon close as they waited, rubbing soothing circled over his back. When the elevator dinged, Raf gently prodded Fallon onto it and turned him around, pulling him to his chest. Fallon sighed, nuzzling his nose against the soft fabric of Raf’s suit jacket.

“Cade and Jace will probably want to go on the roof later today. If you don’t feel comfortable riding the elevator up with them, don’t hesitate to tell them no, they’ll understand,” Raf explained, rubbing Fallon’s back.

Fallon nodded, feeling a sense of dread settle in his stomach. This was going to be the first time he would be away from his master and he felt uneasy because of it. Though Raf reassured him that Cade and Jace were good people, what if they saw through him and realized he was worthless?

The elevator jolted as it came to a stop, opening up to another hallway. Raf led him out of the elevator and to the large oak doors a few steps away. Raf raised a hand and rapped on the door. Someone called something on the other side, but the solid wood muffled it.

The door swung open and a handsome man stepped out, immediately wrapping Raf up in a hug. “Are you alright?” the man asked in a rush of breath, hugging Raf tighter. “How is Lucas? He said he was going to see his lawyer. God I should have come to help.”

“I’m fine and Lucas hadn’t met with her when I left,” Raf replied, patting the man’s back. “There was no need for you to drive all the way to my house, there isn’t anything we can do right now but hope. Lucas will be fine and he’ll pull through, don’t worry.”

“I know, but I still wish I could have helped.” The man pulled back and Fallon got a good look at his sharp features and his slightly mused black hair. His blue eyes were filled with concern as he continued to look at Raf.

Raf merely smiled at the man and motioned to Fallon. “Eden, this is Fallon.”

Eden’s blue eyes immediately shifted to look at Fallon and the worry slipped away, turning into excitement and curiosity. “It’s nice to finally meet you,” he said, his voice soft as he slid his fingers into Fallon’s hair. “Come in and we’ll get you settled.”

Eden stepped back into his apartment and Raf followed, letting Fallon trail behind them. The apartment looked like it took up most of this floor of the building, which was impressive considering the building was huge. They stepped into a small tiled area at the front of the door that opened up into a large living room. A long counter separated it from the kitchen where dark cabinets gleamed in the sunlight. Large windows lined the far wall, giving them a view of miles and miles city.

Fallon toed off his shoes when he was asked; letting his feet glide over the dark tiles and onto the equally dark hardwood floor. The zigzag pattern gave the room an even larger feel as it spanned out into a hallway that Fallon assumed led to the bedrooms.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Eden told him as he stepped around him. “I need to go drag Cade and Jace out of bed since I know they didn’t get up when I told them.”

“No need to rush them,” Raf called, sliding his hand over Fallon’s back. Eden tossed a smile over his shoulder and headed down the hallway. “Are you alright?” Raf asked, stepping around Fallon to look at him.

Fallon nodded, nuzzling Raf’s hand when it slid over his cheek. He wanted Raf to know he could do this so his master wouldn’t worry about him. He pushed himself up and kissed Fallon’s chin, sliding his arms around his waist as he did so. Raf hummed approvingly and pulled Fallon closer. He ducked his head and gave Fallon a quick kiss, letting his lips linger before he pulled away.  
“I’ll be back around one to take you to lunch,” Raf murmured against Fallon’s lips. “Just relax while you’re here, no one expects you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

Fallon huffed, sliding his fingers into Raf’s gelled hair and pulling him down for another kiss. He curled his fingers into his master’s hair; enjoying the fact that he was messing it up before Raf went to work. Feet padded into the room behind them and Fallon heard someone giggle. He pulled away from Raf and turned to look at the two men standing in the hallway.

“You two are cute,” the young brown hair man said, sliding around the taller of the two and walking towards them.

The man had a permanent look of innocence on his face and his large brown eyes were bright with curiosity. He was in nothing but a pair of boxers and his skin shined with a healthy glow. He smiled softly as he stepped up to Fallon and slid his arms around his neck. Fallon tensed for a moment, but slowly returned the hug, startled that a complete stranger would want to hug him. The man was an inch shorted then Fallon, forcing him onto his toes so he could hold Fallon tighter.

“It’s nice to finally meet you,” he whispered.

Fallon gave a gentle nod, breathing in the man’s scent. He smelled of a delicious fruit punch his mother used to give him on warmer days, full of pineapple, oranges and mango. Underneath the fruity scent was a hint of sex Fallon assumed still clung to him from the night before. Instead of turning the man’s scent bitter, it made it all the more sweeter.

“Cade, I told you not to overwhelm him,” Eden scolded.

“He’s fine,” Cade giggle, pulling away from Fallon. He turned his head to give Eden a small smirk. “I just wanted to say hello.”

“Normal people say hello to strangers with a little more distance,” Raf told Cade, leaning over Fallon and giving Cade a quick kiss on the lips. “You smell like sex,” he commented when he pulled away.

“Do I?” Cade asked, his face darkening and making him look more innocent. “I had hoped it had worn off.”

Raf snorted and set his hands on Fallon’s hips. Fallon felt his hand shift so he could check his watch and it sent a shiver of nerves through him. The two slaves standing in front of him didn’t look like threatening and Eden was just as kind as Raf, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t change one Raf was gone.

Cade still looked embarrassed when the other man stepped forward, a loose grey shirt hanging off his shoulders. He held out a hand and gave Fallon a slightly blank smile. “Nice to meet you, I’m Jace.”

Fallon gave him a small smile, which faltered when Raf leaned down again and gave Jace a quick kiss lips like he had with Cade. Was there something Raf hadn’t told him about these men? Did Eden treat his slaves like Fallon’s old master did by letting anyone who wanted to use them? Fallon shook his head; Raf hadn’t lied to him yet. At least… Fallon hoped he hadn’t.

“I’ve got to get to work,” Raf said, squeezing Fallon’s hips. “You two take good care of him for me and I’ll be back to take him to lunch. If you decide to go on the roof, please take the stairs. Fallon had a bad experience with elevators and he’s not fond of them.”

“I take it you were in a holding center then,” Jace said quietly, a shiver running up his spine. Cade turned to look at him, a small frown playing at his lips.

Raf gave a small hum and nuzzled Fallon’s neck. “I have to go,” he whispered reluctantly. “Just relax and remember that Cade and Jace won’t push you do to anything you don’t want to do.”

Fallon nodded, turning around and tilting his head back for a kiss. Raf happily obliged, sliding his lips over Fallon’s before sealing them together. Fallon gave a small moan and slid his hand over Raf’s neck and curled his fingers into the auburn hair at the base of his neck.

Raf broke the kiss sooner then Fallon wanted, smiling softly at him. He gave him another quick kiss and pulled back, nodding at Eden and the others before turning and leaving. The door closed behind Raf with a quiet ‘snick’ and Fallon felt his hold on his confidence slip out the door with him. He turned to look at Cade and Jace, his green eyes turning cold.

“Why don’t you two go shower while I get Fallon settled,” Eden told the two softly. Cade and Jace gave Fallon one last look before turning and heading back down the hall. “Relax, Fallon,” Eden soothed, taking a step towards him. “You’re safe here.”

Fallon gave a derogatory snort and stepped back when Eden reached for him. Eden smiled and stepped forward, following Fallon until his back hit the door. Eden reached out when Fallon couldn’t move any further and cupped his face in his hand. It was a gentle touch that reminded him of Raf, causing his heart to ache suddenly. It must have shown on his face because Eden’s eyes softened and he pulled Fallon into a gentle embrace.

“Underneath all that bravado I can see you’re scared,” Eden whispered in his ear. “Raf and I know you’re not going to trust us immediately, but you need to give us a chance. Cade and Jace will take good care of you.”

Fallon gave a slow nod and took a deep breath when Eden stepped away. He allowed Eden to guide him to the couch and sat down slowly. “Just relax. I don’t have to leave yet and I want to make sure you’re going to be somewhat comfortable with my energetic boyfriends before I do.”

Fallon cocked his head at the word boyfriends. Raf had said that Eden didn’t treat Cade and Jace like slaves, but it still surprised him that Eden would use such a normal word to describe them. Maybe Eden wasn’t as bad as he thought.

Several minutes later Cade and Jace returned to the living room, Cade looking slightly concerned and Jace looking a little sick. Cade hurried over to Eden, who was moving around in the kitchen and began whispering to him heatedly. Jace took a seat next to Fallon on the couch and gave him a small smile.

“Cade was born on a slave farm and then given to another farm where he grew up. No one touched him until he was sold to Eden, so he doesn’t understand what you went through when you were sold to slavery. I was never in a holding center, but I was sold to a master who was just as bad as those men at the center. I’ve also met other slaves who have told me stories.”

Cade nodded, glancing between Jace and Cade. He tilted his head towards the two in the kitchen and gave Jace an inquisitive look. Jace gave a low chuckle and nodded.

“Raf said you were very expressive even though you didn’t talk. We’re not a normal couple, no, but we love each other. I believe Raf told you how we all met, yes?” Fallon nodded, starting to feel comfortable around Jace. “Eden is a good man, he’s very gentle and he makes sure Cade and I are taken care of. Raf is the same way and I hope that if you haven’t learned that yet, you will.”

Fallon nodded, glancing up when Eden stepped into his view and handed Jace a cup. “I’ve got to get to work,” he said, turning to look at Fallon. “Are you comfortable staying here?” Fallon gave him a nod and Eden turned to Jace. “I’m going to be in the building today so call me if you need anything.”

Jace nodded and Eden bent down to kiss him, whispering a quick ‘I love you’. He gave Fallon a kiss on the forehead and then pulled Cade into his arms and kissed him too, whispering more words of endearment to Cade and Jace. “Don’t forget, Calvin will be here at eleven,” Eden called as he left the apartment.

“Damn I didn’t do my reading,” Cade groaned, skirting around the couch and hurrying down the hall.

Jace chuckled and stood, “would you like anything to eat or drink?” Cade shook his head, watching him curiously.

The next few hours continued on in comfortable silence while Cade worked on his reading, which turned out to be _The Iliad_. Jace attempted to talk to Fallon while he flipped through channels on the television and to Fallon’s surprise, Jace managed to make it a fulfilling conversation even though he was the only one talking.

Around eleven a knock on the door startled Fallon and he turned his head to see a tall brunet step into the apartment. He was carrying several books and two bags slung over his shoulder. He greeted them warmly and moved towards the small dining room table, dumping his things on the polished wood. He turned to look at the men sitting in the plush chairs, his emerald eyes lading on Fallon.

“Who is this?” Calvin asked, striding over to the living room. He stared down at Fallon curiously, giving him an inquisitive smile.

“That’s Fallon, he’s Raf’s new housemate,” Cade told him happily.

“Like housemate housemate or Cade when he and Eden first met housemate?” Calvin asked.

“The latter,” Jace answered, pushing himself up to his feet. “He hasn’t been treated well and he doesn’t talk, so just be gentle with him.”

Fallon shot a frustrated look at Jace. He didn’t need people to be gentle with him; he could handle himself and take any abuse given with a stone face. Calvin noticed the look and frowned slightly, but didn’t comment.

“Well, let’s get started. I hope you both did the reading,” Calvin said, slanting a glance at Cade.

“It was one time,” Cade cried. “I hated that stupid book,” he mumbled when Calvin laughed.

“Well, Fallon, you’re welcome to join us,” Calvin invited as he turned back to the kitchen. Fallon thought about it for a moment and stood, following Cade and Jace to the table. It wasn’t like he had anything else to do.

Fallon was floored by the intelligence of the two slaves. Cade could answer any math equation thrown at him in a matter of minutes and the amount of historical knowledge packed in Jace’s head was amazing. Fallon felt sorrow at the realization that these two intelligent men were forced to be slaves instead of given the chance to change the world with their knowledge.

Fallon had hated school and he had been nothing more then another homeless person living on the streets when they picked him up. If he hadn’t become a slave, he probably would have died on the streets. He wasn’t smart and he had no future, there was no reason why he shouldn’t be a slave. But Cade and Jace had too much intelligence and potential to be a slave.

Fallon reached for the book Calvin had slid across the table for Cade and picked it up. It was a copy of _Of Mice and Men_ and Fallon flipped it open out of curiosity. He read the first few pages, letting his mind fall into the words on the pages and not what Calvin was saying.

A hand on the top of his head made Fallon jump and he dropped the book on the table. He tilted his head back to look up into Raf’s grey eyes. Raf smiled down at him and leaned over to steal a kiss. “I’m glad to see you’re reading.”

“He’s been engrossed in it since he picked it up,” Calvin commented.

“Do you like the book?” Raf asked, picking up the novel and examining it. He had shed his suit jacket and had rolled up his grey sleeves to expose his defined forearms. His tie was loosened and Raf pulled it off and set in on the chair where he had hung his jacket. The look made an odd feeling stir inside Fallon again.

Fallon nodded to answer the question, wondering if he could continue to read it when he came tomorrow. “I have a copy of it at home.” Fallon looked back up at him with wide eyes. “I’ll find it for you when we get home since Cade needs to read this one.”

“I already read it, Jace is the one who needs to read it,” Cade called from the living room.

Raf snorted and pulled out Fallon’s chair. “Let’s go to lunch,” he said, taking Fallon’s hand.

They walked to a small sandwich shop in town where Raf handed Fallon a menu for him to gaze over. Raf had a wrap filled with chicken and several vegetables and Fallon had a simple Panini with chicken and Swiss cheese. Raf told him about a new contract he was trying to write and the frustration he was feeling because the wife and husband didn’t agree on the terms. Fallon listened quietly, answering any questions directed to him with nods and flips of his hands.

They headed back to the hotel hand in hand and Raf promised that he would pick Fallon up a little after five when they stepped into the lobby. Descending in the elevator wasn’t as bad as ascending and Fallon had to wrap his arms around Raf’s waist and buried his face in his chest again. Raf held him close, assuring Fallon that they would work on his fear of elevators.

Back in Eden’s apartment, Cade and Jace were perched on tall chairs, eating lunch and whispering sweetly to each other. Fallon wondered if Eden had come up to spend time with them. Both slaves greeted them warmly and Raf gave Fallon one last kiss before leaving them alone again.

“We were thinking about going to the pool on the roof,” Cade said, moving towards Fallon and taking his hands. His cocoa eyes shined with several emotions, curiosity and excitement at the forefront. Cade reminded Fallon of a puppy. Always excited about everything and ready to explore anything that piqued his curiosity. “I think you’ll fit in one of Jace’s bathing suits. Do you know how to swim?”

Fallon took a moment longer to study Cade’s smiling face gazing back at him looking so innocent. He nodded slowly, cocking his head when Cade made an excited sound and moved to the hallway. Jace chuckled and watched Cade fondly. His stormy eyes flickered to Fallon and he tilted his head in apology.

“He’s just as innocent as he looks, regardless of the trauma he endured when I met him,” Jace shrugged. “He’ll settle down in a few days. He was really excited when Eden told us Raf took a slave. When Eden told us what had happened to you, Cade was determined to get you to open up.”

Fallon chuckled and shook his head. He would admit Cade was cute, but he felt more grounded around Jace. If anyone were going to get him to open up, it would probably be Jace. They had both been through the horrors of being a slave and it was easier to converse with someone who understood your past.

Cade returned with a pair of swim trunks and handed them to Fallon, pushing him towards the hallway to change. Fallon heard Jace gently scolding Cade about his excitement. It made Fallon smile, not a lot of people would reign in others if they became overbearing. Not that Cade was overbearing, he was just way too excited.

Fallon changed into the swim trunks, pulling the strings tighter when they slid off his slim hips. He pulled his shirt back on, slightly self-conscious of the scars. He was pretty sure Cade didn’t have any scars and he didn’t want him asking where he had gotten them.

Cade and Jace were waiting for him by the door holding two bags filled with towels, snacks and whatever else they thought they would need. Jace told Fallon they would be climbing the stairs so they didn’t have to endure the elevator and Fallon gave him a thankful look.

The roof of the hotel surprised Fallon. There was a small greenhouse filled with flowers and vegetables, a patio filled with tables and chairs and what looked like a stereo system, and a large pool. The water was clear and inviting, shimmering in the sunlight.

Cade dumped the bags on a pool chair and dug into one of them, pulling out a bottle of sunblock. He pulled off the shirt he was wearing, exposing a myriad of scars across his back and sides. Fallon paused and stared at him, his eyes wide. Jace touched his shoulder, smiling sadly. Apparently Raf had left out some of the details from Cade’s story.

Jace’s own body was covered in scars, some looking brutal. Fallon slipped off his own shirt, exposing the scars on his back. Neither Cade or Jace took notice and Fallon allowed Cade to rub his back with suntan lotion. Fallon realized he had been exposed to hardly any sunlight over the last year and his skin looked sickly.

He allowed himself some time in the water, enjoying the freedom to swim again. The last time he had been in a pool was when he had broken into a gym with a few friends. When he felt slightly waterlogged, he climbed out of the pool and settled into a chair, hoping his skin would absorb some of the sun.

Hours later the scuffing of shoes on the ground roused Fallon from his dozing. He had rolled over several times during the day, allowing Jace or Cade to cover him in sunblock to keep from burning. He tilted his head back, opening one eye to stare down at a pair of black shoes. The slacks were black so he knew it wasn’t Raf, which meant it had to be Eden.

“Your shoulders are turning pink,” Eden said, sliding his fingers over Fallon’s back. Fallon sighed and rolled over, looking up at the man. “Come inside, Raf will kill me if I let you burn.” Eden slid his hand down Fallon’s back as he called to Cade and Jace that they needed to head back inside.

Raf was stepping into the apartment when they stepped off the stairs and he smiled when he caught sight of Fallon. “You’re tan,” he said, holding open his arms. Fallon immediately went to him and hugged him close. Raf hummed, leaning down and kissing Fallon’s lips. “I take it your afternoon was nice.”

Fallon moaned softly, pushing up onto his toes to bring their lips together again. He enjoyed his day, but he was happy to be heading home. He changed into his clothes and gave Cade, Jace, and Eden a quick wave goodbye.

The car ride home was filled with comfortable silence and Fallon dozed, worn out from his time in the sun. There was a box waiting for them on the steps of the porch when they arrived home and Raf jogged out to retrieve it when he parked. He came back with a bright smile on his face and handed it to Fallon.

Clear as day on the label was Fallon’s name and he looked up in surprise. “Remember those toys I told you about?” Raf asked, giving him a slightly embarrassed smile. Fallon gave his first mischievous smile in a long time. He still remembered what Lucas had told him about these toys and he badly wanted to get Raf naked to see if it was true.


	7. Chapter 7

"He’s cute when he gets into it isn’t he?” Cade teased as he watched Jace sew together an intricate pattern on a quilt square. Jace gave him a sideways glance and went back to his sewing.

They were lounging in the living room, waiting for Calvin to arrive for Cade and Jace’s lesson. Cade was perched on the couch with Fallon, watching his lover work. Fallon was lying across the couch, his head in Cade’s lap. He wasn’t sure how they ended up that way, but Cade’s fingers carding through his hair was extremely soothing and he couldn’t bring himself to move.

Jace had pulled out a half finished quilt once he settled and Fallon felt himself mesmerized by the blooming art created by Jace’s hands. It was a beauty Fallon could appreciate.

The door to the apartment opened and Cade shifted, forcing Fallon to sit up. He glanced at Calvin and settled deeper into the couch while Cade and Jace got ready for their lessons.

“Fallon,” Calvin said softly, drawing his attention. “Raf asked me to talk to you about starting lessons. Why don’t you join us and we can talk while Cade and Jace take their history test.”

  
Cade and Jace scowled at the mention of a test and they both shuffled towards the table.

Fallon laughed softly and stood up. It was amusing to see both slaves groan about a test when they both loved learning so much.

Calvin set Cade and Jace on separate sides of the living room to take their test and walked back to the dining room table where Fallon sat.

Calvin pulled out a notebook and pen and set it in front of Fallon. “Raf said you didn’t finish school. What grade were you in when you stopped going?”

Fallon picked up the pen, taking a moment to think it over before answering. _I dropped out when I was 16 but I didn’t go a lot before then. I stopped going to school to learn and more to get away from my foster home when I was 10._

Calvin nodded. “Did you like school when you were there to learn?”

Fallon scribbled out a quick _no_.

Calvin hummed, his green eyes skimming the paper. “For someone who didn’t pay much attention in school your penmanship and spelling are pretty good.

_One of my foster homes was run by a teacher. He would give us lessons every day. I was only there for a few months, though._

“Why did you leave?” Calvin asked curiously.

Fallon shook his head and set the pen on the table, indicating that he wasn’t going to tell that particular story. Calvin gave him a nod of acknowledgement and gently nudged the pad of paper.

“Would you be interested in starting your education again?”

_If my master wants it._

“I know Raf doesn’t want you calling him master,” Calvin replied with a frown. “He also doesn’t want you to do this because he wants you to, he wants you to do it because you want to.”

Fallon took a moment to think it over, glancing towards Cade and Jace who were consumed by their test. Fallon would never be able to sit there and read over all those questions. He would never be able to answer them in the short amount of time he would have.

 _I can’t do it._ Fallon wrote, keeping his eyes on the table.

“Why not?” Calvin asked softly.

_I’m not that smart._

“I think you’re very smart, Fallon,” Calvin said gently. “Being smart is more then going to school and reading books. Being smart includes knowing how to survive and being able to live through hard situations. You’ve done that for most of your life. Raf knows that and so do I, and all we want is to give you an opportunity you didn’t have. We don’t have to follow a normal school course. If you want to spend all your time on science, we’ll do that. And if you don’t want me to teach you, then I won’t. It’s your decision.”

Fallon took a moment to think it over. _I like art,_ he wrote. _Can I learn about that?_

Calvin smiled, “I’m not the best artist in the world, but I can teach you about the history of art. We can incorporate other lessons into it too. There is a lot to write about when it comes to art.”

 _I would like that,_ Fallon wrote, smiling up at Calvin.

“Alright, I’ll start putting together a lesson plan,” Calvin nodded, standing when Cade brought over his test.

~~~  
Fallon sat quietly in his favorite pool chair, his bright jade eyes glancing between Cade and his sketchpad. Cade was sitting on a towel with his legs in the water, splashing playfully at Jace when he swam past. He had a book of poetry in his hand and was occasionally reciting his favorite poems out loud. The sight made a perfect portrait and Fallon found himself itching to draw.

He had started bringing his sketchpad a few days ago, but nothing had been inspiring until today.

He smiled when Jace splashed water at Cade, drawing out a giggle from Cade. They were so sweet together that Fallon wondered if he got sucked into a fairytale every time he was with them. He never believed that anyone- let alone three men- could love each other as much.

He hardly saw Eden interact with Cade and Jace, but when he did, they were the most in love group of three he’d ever seen. It was always quick kisses and whispered words of love, but it always left Cade and Jace smiling and Eden watching them longingly as he left.

Fallon believed that when Eden returned home and Fallon and Raf left, the three of them spent hours cuddling and making love before cooking a romantic dinner that they fed to each other and a desert that led to more lovemaking.

Cade began reading a Poe poem; his smile growing as his voice rose and fell with each line. Fallon quickly sketched Cade’s smile, capturing the bright look on his face. He smiled when Cade splashed Jace with water when he swam over to him, laughing when Jace scowled at him. His smile grew when Jace snatched the book up, tossed it towards Fallon and dragged Cade into the pool.

Fallon was still giggling when Raf took a seat next to him, smiling softly as he watched the antics. “Did you have a good day?” he asked. Fallon nodded, leaning towards him for a kiss. “You know, this is the first time I’ve ever seen your sketches.”

Fallon looked down at his sketchbook and held it away from him so Raf could see it. It was one of the few sketches that wasn’t of his master and he was glad he could show it off. Raf smiled at the sketch and then glanced over at Cade, who was crawling out of the water while Jace laughed.

“It’s beautiful,” Raf told him. “It captures Cade’s personality perfectly.”

“The two of you I swear,” Eden sighed as he walked towards the pool. He shook his head, but the smile on his face said he wasn’t upset. Cade made a gleeful noise and hurried over to his lover, throwing his arms around Eden’s neck and kissing him hard. Jace followed quickly and kissed Eden too, ignoring the man’s complaints about getting hit suit wet.

“I think we should go home before they start ripping off each other’s clothes,” Raf whispered. Fallon snorted and nodded.

“We’re not going to rip each other’s clothes off,” Cade scoffed.

“Uh-huh,” Raf rolled his eyes. He took the sketchpad from Fallon and took is hand, leading him towards the elevator. Fallon took his sketchpad back from Raf when they reached the car, setting if gently on the backseat so it didn’t shift and crumple the pages. Raf chuckled at Fallon’s gentleness towards his sketchpad and moved around the car as Fallon slipped into the passenger’s seat.

Raf’s phone began to ring as they pulled out of the parking garage and Fallon watched as Raf went from relaxed and happy to lawyer mode in an instance. The phone call turned Raf’s mood sour and he growled at the person on the other end. It was the first time Fallon had heard Raf angry and it surprised him.

“Unfortunately I have to go back to the office,” Raf sighed when he hung up the phone. He turned onto another road and headed back towards the city. “I have a client who was supposed to meet with me tomorrow and he showed up today. This client is also the kind of man that you have to drop everything for when he shows up. He’s been fighting with his wife over a slave for two years and I am the unlucky lawyer who gets to deal with him.”

Fallon tilted his head, wondering why Raf was so upset about it. This was the kind of thing he dealt with every day, so wasn’t he used to it? Fallon wondered if it was the person and not the situation that was upsetting him. He reached out and touched Raf’s knee to comfort him, receiving a smile from Raf as he pulled into another parking garage.

After another panicked elevator ride to the fourth floor, Fallon found himself in a large lawyer’s office. The kind you saw in the movies with a secretary seated at a large desk and twenty names on the wall.

Offices lined a long hallway and Fallon realized that Raf worked at a law factory. A glance at Raf told Fallon that he hated working here but didn’t have a choice.

A tall, grey haired man stood by the receptionist’s desk looking very upset that he had been forced to wait. “Rafael, thank you for coming back to meet with me,” the man said, sounding disgustingly sarcastic.

“Thank you for waiting, Mr. Gunther,” Raf told the man. “Please follow me to my office.”

“Who is this?” the man asked, his hazel eyes sliding over Fallon’s face.

“This is my slave,” Raf replied in a flat voice, making the word slave sound like a horrible word. “He will sit out here while we talk. “Raf motioned to a chair next to the receptionist and Fallon took a seat. “Please follow me.”

The secretary turned to look at Fallon and smiled at him. “Raf hasn’t stopped talking about you. He’s very excited you’ve come into his life.” Fallon gave her a small smile and glanced down the hall. “He’ll be in there a while, would you like anything to drink?”

Fallon studied the woman for a moment and cocked his head. He lifted his hand and made a writing motion. The woman’s smile widened and she opened her drawer and pulled out a small pad of paper. Fallon scribbled is request on the paper and added a please, which made the woman smile brighter.

“I’ll be right back, sweetheart,” she said. She left the office and Fallon wondered if she was purchasing a drink for him. He hadn’t thought about that when he had asked. He would have to have Raf ask her and then force him to pay her back.

She returned moments later and handed him a bottle of soda and a bag of chips. Fallon ate slowly, silently conversing with the woman whose name turned out to be Avana.

She was a pleasant woman, with a soft face and eyes that changed between blue and grey in the light. She told Fallon about her two-year-old daughter and her boyfriend that she hoped to marry soon. Fallon enjoyed her company, using the pad to write down answers to questions she asked and ask his own questions.

“I don’t understand, Rafael, what do you see in that slave?” Mr. Gunther asked as they made their way back down the hall. “He looks like he’s poorly bred.”

“I don’t care a bout breeding,” Raf grunted. They appeared at the end of the hall and Raf looked extremely annoyed.

“Well you should. Your father told me how disappointed he was at the last slave you owned. How could you want one with such bad breeding? I mean look at him,” Mr. Gunther waved a hand at Fallon, “he looks defective.”

“Thank you for your opinion, Mr. Gunther, but Fallon is fine. There is nothing wrong with him and I enjoy having him around.”

“You don’t enjoy him,” Mr. Gunther said, sounding appalled, “you use him. It’s the same thing I keep telling my wife.”

“I will take that into consideration. Thank you, sir, and I will work on your petition immediately. I will make sure you have it by tomorrow morning.”

Mr. Gunther gave Fallon one last look and nodded, leaving the office in tense silence. Raf grunted and sighed, turning to look at Fallon. “I’m sorry to make you wait.”

Fallon gave him a small smile and scribbled out a small explanation of what he did while he waited. Raf thanked Avana and insisted on paying her for the food she purchased for Fallon. She politely declined and then shoved him out the door, stating that she couldn’t go home until he did.

They stopped to grab something quick to eat on the way home and Raf left Fallon at the front door, stating that he needed to get the petition done immediately. Fallon let the disappointment that he didn’t get to spend time with Raf weigh him down for a minute before shaking it off and heading into his master’s bedroom.

Fallon stood staring around the room for a moment before walking over to the closet. He pulled out the box of toys Raf had bought for him and set them on the bed. He hadn’t had any time to use them so they were still sealed in the packaging.

He searched through the box, finding a basic vibrator and a silicone plug. He set them aside and searched for the toy cleaner. He came upon another plug that was slightly longer and thicker. He immediately thought back to what Lucas had said and wondered if he could use it on Raf.

He pushed that thought aside and took his two toys into the bathroom. He cleaned them up and returned to the bedroom, where he stripped naked and crawled onto the bed. He put batteries in the vibrator and made sure it worked before coating it in lube.

Spreading his legs, Fallon rested his cheek on a pillow and slid his finger over his entrance. He was relieved to find that he wasn’t too tight, but he was definitely tighter then he had been weeks ago. He slowly slipped the vibrator past the ring of muscles and turned the dial until it was at full power.

Fallon let his eyes slide closed and pulled the vibrator out and pushed it back in. His body still didn’t react to it, but the slow slide of the vibrator felt nice. Fallon moaned softly, tightening around the vibrator as he pulled it out. He spread his legs wider and slid his hand up his thigh, gripping his cock.

Revulsion clenched in his gut as he stroked himself and he groaned, dropping his hand. He was broken and it disgusted him. He worked the vibrator faster to dissipate the feeling of disgust, ignoring the rest of his body. The feeling didn’t get any better and he withdrew the vibrator and rolled over.

Fallon sighed and set the vibrator on the bedside table. He glanced at the plug, deciding to put it in and see if he could tolerate it. Lubing up the plug, Fallon slid his leg up and pushed it in, letting his body clench around the teardrop shaped. He had worn a plug when he had arrived at his previous home and had gotten comfortable sleeping in one.

Once the odd feeling disappeared Fallon rolled off the bed and took the vibrator to the bathroom to clean it. He left it on the sink and headed back to the bedroom, pulling the curtains to hide the dark fields and crawled back into bed. He grabbed the book on the table, hoping to get a few chapters read before he fell asleep.

Several minutes later Fallon heard the bathroom door shut and he blinked in that direction. The only other person in the house was Raf and Fallon had assumed he would be working late into the night. The bathroom door opened again and Fallon watched Raf make his way towards the bed.

“I’m happy to see you’re using the toys,” Raf whispered, crawling onto the bed. His stormy eyes were dark in the dim light and Fallon could see a glint of mischief in them. He slid his hand over Fallon’s thigh and pulled his leg up so he could finger the plug. “You’re used to spending the night with a plug aren’t you?”

Fallon nodded, quickly glancing at the plug still sitting on the table. Raf followed Fallon’s gaze and smirked. “Did you have to choose?”

Fallon shook his head, looking at the plug again. Raf huffed a laugh and cupped Fallon’s cheek, kissing him softly. “I know what Lucas told you,” Raf whispered against Fallon’s lips. “He told me last night when he asked me if you had used the toys yet. I know why that’s sitting there and if you want, you can put it in me.”

A shiver ran up Fallon’s spine and he gasped against Raf’s lips. He pushed forward, kissing his master again. He slid his hands down Raf’s back and cupped his ass. Raf moaned, sliding his tongue into Fallon’s mouth. He coaxed Fallon’s tongue to play, inviting him to explore his mouth.

Raf pulled back and grabbed the plug, handing it and the lube to Fallon. Fallon looked between him and the lube, popping the cap and coating the plug. He used one hand to spread Raf’s ass and slid the plug between his legs. He hesitated when his finger found the tight ring of muscles and he looked nervously into Raf’s eyes.

“It’s okay, Fallon,” Raf assured, sliding his hand down Fallon’s arm. Fallon took a deep breath and pushed the plug in. Raf gave a surprised gasp when the wider part of the plug pushed against his muscles. Fallon continued to push until the plug settled inside his master.

Raf groaned and pressed his forehead against Fallon’s cheek, his fingers digging into Fallon’s shoulder. “I’m glad I can share this with you,” Raf breathed, sliding his arms around Fallon’s waist.  
Fallon hummed, wrapping himself up in Raf’s hug and kissing his cheek. Raf rolled over, stretching out on the bed. He kicked the covers down and pulled them over their bodies, snuggling closer. Raf flipped off the light and they laid quietly together in the moonlight.

Fallon shifted, feeling the press of the plug inside him as he spread out over the bed. Raf let him do what he wanted, accustomed to Fallon taking over the bed. Fallon tangled his legs with Raf’s and set his cheek on Raf’s chest, letting his eyes slide close.

~~~  
Fallon jerked awake when Raf’s alarm went of, groaning in frustration that he couldn’t sleep longer. “Go back to sleep, beau,” Raf whispered, rolling Fallon over and climbing out of bed. “I just have to make sure Mr. Gunther got his petition and then I’ll be right back.”

Fallon nodded sleepily, belatedly realizing that it was Saturday and that Raf didn’t have to work. It made him hate that grumpy old man for forcing Raf to get up when he didn’t have to.  
Several minutes later Raf returned to bed, sliding up to Fallon and wrapping him up.

“I vote we spend the day in bed,” Raf whispered, receiving a moan from Fallen. They both slowly started to doze when someone began banging on the sliding door jerked them both awake.

Growling, Raf rolled out of bed again and yanked back the curtain.

“That is not what I want to see in the morning,” Lucas groaned, covering his eyes.

“Then don’t bang on my door,” Raf huffed. “What are you doing up?”

“My lawyer called to tell me they finally pinned down my father,” Lucas said triumphantly. “He’s been arrested and is now sitting in a jail in Nevada.”

“Does that mean you’re going home?” Raf yawned, turning back around and moving towards the bed. He crawled in and snuggled up to Fallon while Lucas continued talking.

“Not yet, she said to lay low for a few more days so you’re stuck with me for a little longer. Is that a butt plug in your ass?”

Fallon snorted and tossed his leg over Raf’s hip. He clenched against his own plug, reminding himself that it was going to need to come out soon. Raf must have been thinking the same thing, because he reached down and gently worked it out of Fallon’s body. He took out his own and set them on the bedside table.

“He finally got into the toys?” Lucas said approvingly.

“And took your advice,” Raf mumbled. “Now if you don’t mind, we would like to sleep a little longer.”

“Fine,” Lucas sighed, “I’m heading into town to get stuff from the store while you two spend a beautiful Saturday being lazy and cute.” The sliding door closed, leaving the two alone in silence.

“I never thought I would hear Lucas call me cute,” Raf whispered. He slid closer to Fallon, sliding his fingers over Fallon’s hip. “He probably wouldn’t find this cute,” he hummed, his fingers curling around Fallon’s cock.

Fallon’s lips quirked and his eyes slid closed when Raf’s thumb circled the head of his cock. Raf had been touching him nonstop since that first night. Any chance he could get, he groped Fallon and Fallon found he enjoyed it. Granted, his body still didn’t work, their time together made Fallon feel almost normal.

Fallon gave a small moan, wondering what it would feel like to touch Raf like this. He decided to test the waters and slid his hand behind him, gliding his fingers over Raf’s thigh and sliding his hand between their bodies. Fallon curled his fingers around Raf’s cock, smirking when Raf gasped.

Fallon squirmed away and rolled over, gripping Raf’s cock and stoking him slowly. A thought came to him and he rolled away again, leaving Raf complaining on the bed. Fallon went to the closet where he had left the toys and rummaged around until he found what he wanted.

Raf had crawled out of bed when Fallon slid out and was now hidden in the bathroom. Fallon waited patiently for Raf to leave the bathroom, pushing him back towards the bed as he slid into the bathroom himself.

He cleaned off the toy and took care of himself, stepping out of the bathroom with a smile on his face. Raf pulled Fallon towards him and kissed him. Fallon’s hand slid between their bodies and he gripped Raf’s cock again. Raf’s cock hardened in his hand and he moaned against Fallon’s lips. Fallon slid forward, sliding his leg over Raf’s hip and rubbing his stomach against Raf’s cock.  
Raf groaned, wrapping his arm around Fallon and pulling him closer. He thrust his hips, sliding his cock against Raf’s hip.

Fallon reached behind him, fumbling with the vibrator and the lube as Raf rutted against him. He reached for Raf’s ass, slipping the vibrator in and turning it on. Fallon breathed harshly when Raf’s cock slid against his and he pushed the vibrator in and out of him.

Raf’s arm tightened around Fallon and he buried his face in Fallon’s neck as his hips moved faster. His movements slid the vibrator in and out, giving Fallon the opportunity to twist the vibrator and draw out more sounds from Raf.

Fallon nuzzled Raf’s chin, pulling his head down so he could kiss him. He pushed his hips forward, spurring Raf on. Raf gave a small grunt, pushing his tongue into Fallon’s mouth as he shoved the covers down. Cold air hit their body, making the two of them groan.

Their skin heated quickly and sweat formed between their bodies, adding friction as they moved. Raf ground his hips against Fallon’s, moaning into Fallon’s mouth as he pushed back into the vibrator. Their harsh breathing filled Fallon’s ears, making his gut clench.

The feel of Raf’s cock sliding against his hip sent a spark of arousal through Fallon, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. It made him desperately want his own cock to work.

Fallon pushed the vibrator deeper into his master and Fallon shivered when come hit his stomach. He wrapped his arms around Raf’s neck and continued to slide the vibrator into Raf to spur on his orgasm. Fallon hummed his approval, rolling his hips and drawing out more come from Raf. He closed his eyes, doing all he could to draw out Raf’s orgasm.

Raf moaned, thrusting his hips forward a few more times before relaxing against Fallon. Fallon pulled out the vibrator and set it on the bedside table, rolling back against Raf’s chest. Fallon closed his eyes and sighed, feeling Raf’s come cool on his stomach. It actually felt nice.

He blinked when Raf pulled away and looked up into his steely grey eyes. Raf’s cloudy eyes widened when he looked down Fallon’s body and he growled Fallon’s name and rolled out of bed. Raf paced the length of the bed, mumbling softly.

Fallon sat up, wondering what had gone wrong. Normally Raf held him after touching him. Granted this was the first time Fallon had tried anything, he didn’t think Raf would react badly. This was the first time Raf had gotten angry about what they had done.

“We weren’t supposed to do this,” Raf said as he continued to pace. “You’re not ready for it.”

The last comment caused a spark of anger inside Fallon. He didn’t need Raf’s pity and he didn’t need to be treated like a child. He could handle anything Raf did to him. Compared to what Fallon had gone through before, Raf was extremely gentle.

Raf caught the look on Fallon’s face and he paused and moved towards the bed. He reached out and gently cupped Fallon’s face, running his thumb over his cheek. “Your eyes have been getting vibrant over the last few weeks,” he whispered sadly. “Right now they’re dull and I can tell you’re not really looking at me.”

Fallon jerked back, surprised that he could still act like the whore he used to be even though he was getting used to being treated like a human. It was an unsettling discovery and he didn’t know what to do about it. He enjoyed it when Raf touched him and asides from his own lack of reaction; he liked what they had just done.

“I’ve been trying so hard to prove that I don’t want to use you for sex,” Raf sighed. He shook his head and began pacing again. “God, I should have never listened to Lucas. He only made things worse. How can I reassure you’re not here for sex when all I do is touch you? Eden suggested I keep my distance, but that never worked for Cade so I believed it wouldn’t work for you. I’m such an idiot,” Raf chided, running his fingers angrily through his hair.

Fallon smiled and slipped out of bed. Seeing his master so upset because he thought he was making the situation worse sent butterflies fluttering through his stomach. No one had ever wanted him and no one had ever cared how he felt until now.

He threw his arms around Raf’s neck and kissed him hard, letting the man know that he hadn’t done anything wrong. Raf grunted and leaned into the kiss, curling his hands around Fallon’s hips. Fallon pressed closer, smearing come across their stomachs and chests and loving that he could do it.

“I take it you’re trying to tell me what we did was okay and you wanted it?” Raf breathed, sliding his nose against Fallon’s cheek. Fallon nodded, pressing his lips against Raf’s ear and humming softly. “Then I’m glad I didn’t fuck it up. Let’s take a shower before Hanna comes in and yells at us for lounging in bed.”


	8. Chapter 8

Rain pattered against the sliding glass doors, blurring the grey morning as dark clouds rolled overhead. A rumble of thunder could be heard every few minutes, souring Fallon’s mood further. Today was a bad day to begin with and the rain only made it worse. Though, Fallon would admit the poor weather was fitting, he had hoped for a sunny day to help ease the depression.

“Are you almost ready to go?” Raf called as he stepped out of his closet. He had a tie tossed around his neck and he was slowly buttoning his white shirt.

Fallon turned to look at him and nodded sullenly.

“Are you alright?” Raf asked, cocking his head. He abandoned his buttons and moved towards Fallon, sliding his fingers through his hair.

Fallon nodded again, hiding his emotions behind a blank face. He shouldn’t be upset about the date, it came and went every year and nothing ever changed. Anyone over the age of eight could care less about their birthday, but for Fallon; it was just another reminder that he was still just as worthless as he was last year. He remembered those few years he celebrated with his parents and the crippling realization that he would never have any of that again when he was put into foster care.

“Today will be the first day you don’t get to sit outside and soak up the sun,” Raf whispered, slipping his arms around Fallon’s neck in an attempt to comfort him. “I’m sure Cade and Jace will have other things for you to do.”

Fallon gave another nod, allowing himself to accept Raf’s comfort. It wasn’t like Raf knew why he was so unhappy today; his master just wanted him to feel better regardless. Fallon was sure he could tell Raf what today meant to him, but Fallon didn’t want to be one of those people who expected special treatment on their birthday.

The rain echoed throughout the garage as it hit the metal roof, drowning out all other noise and dragging down Fallon’s mood further. He reached for Raf’s hand when they got into the car, lacing their fingers together as he stared out the window. Raf squeezed his hand, sliding his thumb over the back of his hand to comfort him further.

“Hey,” Raf said softly when he pulled into a parking spot under the hotel. He reached over and hooked a finger under Fallon’s chin, turning his head to they could meet his eyes. “What’s going on?”

Fallon shook his head, taking Raf’s hand in his and nuzzling his palm. Raf sighed softly and gave Fallon a small serene smile. He leaned over and kissed Fallon’s lips before climbing out of the car.

Raf pulled Eden aside when they got to the apartment, leaving Fallon alone to collapse on the couch. He laid on his stomach, watching the rainfall outside while his master and Eden spoke quietly together.

“I don’t know what’s going on,” Raf whispered to Eden. “He’s been like this since he got up.”

“He hasn’t said anything to Cade or Jace, so I know as much as you do, Raf,” Eden replied, his voice quiet and gentle. “Why don’t you go to work and give him some time. I’m sure there’s something about this day that’s triggering his depression. He’ll tell you when he’s ready.”

A huff of breath was Raf’s only response and Fallon glanced up when footsteps approached him. Raf knelt down to look at him, sliding his fingers through Fallon’s hair. He leaned in slowly and kissed Fallon’s forehead. “I have to work through lunch, so I won’t see you till five.”

Fallon nodded, turning his head for a kiss. Raf smiled and leaned down, pressing their lips together. They shared a lingering kiss for several seconds, reluctantly separating when Raf had to leave.

Fallon stayed where he was on the couch, listening to the others move throughout the apartment. Eden left ten minutes later, leaving Cade and Jace alone with Fallon.

Someone stepped up to the couch and Cade’s hand slid under Fallon’s head. He lifted Fallon’s head and sat down, setting Fallon’s cheek on his thigh. He set a pad of paper and a pen on the coffee table and sat back, sliding his fingers through Fallon’s hair. Jace settled in a plush chair with a book, paying no attention to Cade or Jace.

“Whenever you’re ready to talk,” Cade said softly, gently stroking Fallon’s cheek.

Fallon grunted and slid his head into Cade’s lap. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the comfort, while a small part of him wished it were his master sitting with him. He let his mind wander to the night before, feeling a small shot of arousal flow through him at the image of Raf on his knees, sliding a vibrator into his ass as he stroked Fallon’s cock. He smiled at the small pulses of arousal that formed in his stomach; enjoy the feeling that had been absent for so long.

He glanced around the room, taking in the lavish furniture and the two happy slaves keeping him company. This was the life he could have, the life Raf wanted to give him. If anyone would understand him, it would be these two men sitting with him.

Fallon reached for the pad of paper, picking it up as he pushed himself up to sit. He turned to sit cross-legged on the couch, facing Cade. He scribbled that today was his birthday and showed it to Cade.

“Well, I’d tell you happy birthday, but I don’t think that’s what you’re looking for,” Cade told him softly. “I never celebrated my birthday before I met Eden, but I’ve seen how some people react towards the day they were born. Jace gets particularly grumpy when he turns a year older.”

Fallon glanced at Jace, who scowled and hid his face behind the book he was reading. Fallon could tell he was still listening even though he was pretending not to.

“Jace doesn’t get as unhappy as you, though.” Cade reached out at tapped Fallon’s nose. “What’s wrong?”

Fallon ‘s green eyes softened and he lifted the pad of paper and began writing. _Today reminds me of every year I’ve been a failure. I lost my parents when I was six, I was thrown into a foster home where I was beaten and locked in a room with nine other children, and they labeled_ me _as a behavioral problem when I ran away from the abuse. Then I lived on the streets for years, doing whatever I could to get a little bit of money to feed myself. I’ve been worthless since I was born._

“No, Fallon, you’re not worthless,” Cade said softly. He reached out and took Fallon’s hand, squeezing it gently. “Yes, things haven’t gone well for you, but you’re not a failure.”

_I let someone convince me to go with them to a soup kitchen where I was drugged and then raped. I was forced into slavery and I’ll never be free again. What do you call someone who has been through all of that if not a failure?_

“I call it someone who is determined to live even when everything around them is crumbling. You have Raf now, that has to count for something good,” Cade insisted.

 _I’m his_ slave _, he owns me. How is that good?_

“Because Raf will never treat you like a slave,” Cade told him. “Jace and I are Eden’s slaves and he treats us like humans. He’s promised us our freedom when the time comes and he loves us very much. Raf is the same way, he cares for you very much and he isn’t going to treat you like a slave. I know the two of you are still getting to know each other, but Raf is falling in love with you and I can see when he leaves that you care a lot for him too. It might not be love yet, but you want to be with him.”

 _I don’t know what I want_ , Fallon confessed, looking into Cade’s chocolate brown eyes. They were so kind and gentle and Fallon felt like he could confide in Cade. He needed someone to talk to and he had two men wiling to listen right here.

“And you don’t need to know right now. In time you will. All you need to do right now is let yourself trust Raf, let him help you. Tell him about today and tell him how you want to celebrate. If that includes being miserable and laying on the couch all day then do that, just don’t leave him feeling confused. He’s worried about you and knowing Raf, he probably thinks he’s the reason you’re so unhappy today.”

 _I don’t deserve him._ Fallon held up the pad, breaking eye contact with Cade.

Cade gave a little laugh and cupped Fallon’s cheek in his hand. He smiled when Fallon looked at him and leaned forward to gently kiss him. “You do deserve him. Once you accept that you don’t deserve to be miserable, you’ll see that. Everyone in this world should be happy.”

Fallon’s lips quirked and he nodded. Cade’s smile grew and he kissed Fallon again. “Why don’t you lay back down and we’ll watch a movie; and for lunch, we’ll eat greasy comfort food and all those other things I know Eden will scold Jace and I about when he finds out what we’ve eaten.”

Fallon snorted and laid back down, smiling when Cade’s fingers slid through his hair. Jace joined them on the couch, his hand sliding under Fallon’s shirt to rub his back. As promised they watched crappy movies, ate burgers and fries they ordered from room service and had ice cream and cookies for desert. It had been the most enjoyable birthday he had had in a long time.  
Around five thirty Fallon heard the elevator ding and he turned towards the door, his heart pounding as he waited to see who it was. He stood when Raf stepped into the apartment, followed by Eden. Fallon gave Raf a sad smile, his gloomy mood still in place even though his afternoon had gone better then expected.

“Hey, beau,” Raf whispered, leaning down and giving Fallon a small kiss. “You ready to go home?”

Fallon nodded turning to Cade and Jace. He hugged both of them, smiling when Cade hugged him tightly. “You take good care of him tonight,” Cade told Raf, his voice stern.

“I promise to take good care of him all the time,” Raf assured, taking Fallon’s hand.

The drive home was quiet, but Raf’s presence helped ease Fallon’s misery. At home, Fallon made his way to the living room and laid down on the couch, watching the rainfall through the large glass window. He tried to convince himself that today wasn’t as bad as usual, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pick himself back up.

About a half hour later Raf set a small cupcake on the coffee table with a blue and white candle stuck in the middle. He kneeled on the floor when Fallon looked up at him curiously. “Happy birthday, Fallon,” Raf whispered, kissing his forehead.

Fallon sat up and gave him a look, wondering if Cade had told him. “After learning about your fear of elevators, I went searching for your original medical records. I got the files yesterday, but didn’t have time to look at them. Then you were so miserable today that I was worried something had triggered a memory, so I looked through the files and saw that it was your birthday. I assumed you were unhappy because of that and I wasn’t sure whether or not you wanted me to acknowledge it. I just couldn’t watch you mope anymore so I had to do something.”

A small smile ghosted Fallon’s lips, along with a curl of arousal that made his heart rate pickup. He had been feeling it ever since that night over a week ago when Fallon finally touched his master. His body still didn’t react to the feeling, but Fallon enjoyed it nonetheless.

Fallon reached for Raf and pulled him into a hug. He kissed Raf’s cheek and then his lips as he curled his fingers into his auburn hair. Cade was right, he was lucky to have found Raf.

They shared the cupcake and because Raf had given Hanna the night off so they could be alone, ordered Chinese food to celebrate. Fallon even allowed himself to open up and tell Raf about why he was so miserable today. Raf assured him he wasn’t a failure and spent the rest of the evening cuddling with Fallon and sharing soft kisses to prove it. Later that evening Raf carried Fallon into his room and laid him down, curling around him, while whispering loving words to him while they drifted off to sleep.

Fallon jerked awake in the middle of the night, groaning at a painful stretching in his cock. He shifted his hips, gasping when his hard cock slid across his stomach. He froze; blinking several times as he felt his cock lay heavily across his stomach. He shifted again, gasping when his cock shifted. It had been months since his cock had done anything but hang pathetically between his legs and it was painfully sensitive from the lack of use.

Raf shifted when Fallon groaned again and he rolled over, pressing against Fallon’s side. “What’s wrong?” Raf breathed, rubbing his cheek over Fallon’s shoulder.

Fallon whimpered softly, shivering when the tips of Raf’s fingers touched his hip. He debated for a moment weather or not to show Raf, quickly decided that Raf would be happy to know that he was getting to Fallon.

He reached for Raf’s hand and guided it to his cock. Raf made a surprised noise at the back of his throat as he ran the palm of his hand up Fallon’s cock. “This wasn’t what I was expecting,” he said, his voice stronger as he woke up more. He shifted again, pushing up onto his elbow to look down at Fallon. His fingers curled around his cock and he slowly stroked him, squeezing the base of his cock and drawing out small moans from Fallon.

Fallon writhed against the touch, his sensitive cock sending zaps of pleasure through him. He gasped and moaned, arching off the bed when Raf’s thumb slid up the underside of his cock and pressed against the nerves just under the head. Fallon could feel his stomach tightening, knowing that a few more pulls of Raf’s hand and he would be done.

“No yet,” Raf whispered, pulling his hand away and tossing the covers off Fallon’s body. He shifted slowly, pushing Fallon’s legs apart and sliding between them. He leaned down to kiss Fallon, keeping his back arched so their bodies didn’t touch. Raf slowly slid away from Fallon’s lips, trailing kissed over his jaw and neck. He slid his arms under Fallon’s legs, sliding the up as he continued to kiss downward.

Raf set Fallon’s knees on his shoulders and he kissed down his stomach, bypassing Fallon’s cock completely. He kissed Fallon’s thigh, running his tongue down to the juncture of his hip.  
Fallon jerked when Raf’s lips slid over his testicle, moaning when Raf pulled it into his mouth and sucked gently. His cock pulsed with need and Raf’s tongue caressed Fallon’s testicle before sliding it from his mouth. He pushed up, pulling Fallon’s legs up with him and ducked his head, taking Fallon’s cock in his mouth.

A small cry tore from Fallon’s mouth and he reached down to slide his fingers through Raf’s bed mussed hair. He rolled his hips when Raf took him down his throat, whimpering at increasing tension in his body. Raf pulled his head back slightly, dragging his lips over Fallon’s heated skin and causing him to loose control.

Fallon’s cheeks burned with embarrassment when he suddenly started coming. He knew he wouldn’t be able to last long, but he had hoped it wouldn’t have ended so quickly. Raf quickly changed tactics, curling one hand around the base of Fallon’s cock and stroking as he sucked and swallowed Fallon’s come.

It was over before either of them could really enjoy it and Fallon released Raf’s hair and covered his face with his hands, rolling himself into a ball. He groaned pathetically when Raf grabbed his legs and pulled him back down. Fallon shook his head, his face burning with embarrassment. What kind of man only lasted mere second? This was not how Fallon imagined this moment to play out.

“Hey,” Raf whispered, tugging Fallon’s hands away from his face, “it’s alright. I was expecting that.” Fallon groaned and shook his head, his face growing hotter. “Don’t be ashamed,” Raf chuckled, “it’s been a long time since you’ve gotten hard. You should be happy.”

Fallon dropped his hands and glared at Raf, hoping the moonlight illuminated enough of his face to get his point across. Raf laughed softly and kissed Fallon’s lips. “As long as you’re willing to let me touch you, we’ll work on it okay?”

Fallon nodded and slid his arms around Raf’s neck pulling him down for a kiss. He slid closer to Raf, rolling him until he was lying on the bed and Fallon was stretched out against his side. Raf smiled as he curled an arm around him, setting his head on a pillow.

“Will you wake me if this happens again?” Raf whispered, pulling Fallon closer.

Fallon nodded, sliding his leg over Raf’s thigh and closing his eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

“You’re looking a little green,” Lucas commented as he sat on the couch next to Fallon. 

Fallon grunted, pulling his blanket tighter. He had a screaming headache and his stomach hadn’t stopped turning since he had gotten up. He also had a horrible pain that started just under his bellybutton and got more painful towards his fight side. He was pretty sure it was just some annoying bug that made him vomit every twenty minutes and that it would pass by tomorrow morning.

Lucas’s hand came to rest on his head on Fallon’s forehead. Fallon groaned and leaned into Lucas’s cool hand. He hadn’t realized how hot he was until the cool skin touched him. “You’re burning up,” Lucas said, concern filling his voice. “Hey Raf,” he called, scooting closer to Fallon.

Fallon grunted and pushed him away. He was fine and he didn’t need Raf worrying. Raf came out of the bedroom looking concerned just as a wave of nausea overcame Fallon. He pushed off the couch and hurried to the bathroom where he puked violently into the toilet.

“Yeah, that was what I was going to tell you about,” Lucas said as he followed Raf into the bathroom.

“Thanks,” Raf replied, his voice filled with worry. He set a hand on Fallon’s back and kneeled down next to him. “Why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?” he asked, rubbing Fallon’s back.  
Fallon sat back on his heels when he was confident he wasn’t going to puke again and glared at Raf. He was going to be fine in a few hours. There was no need for Raf to worry.

“Don’t give me that look,” Raf scolded, setting a hand on Fallon’s forehead. “You’re burning up.”

“Will you stop babying him,” Hanna said as she peaked into the bathroom. Her emerald eyes looked Fallon over. “He’s got the stomach bug that’s all. He’ll be fine tomorrow. Get him to bed and I’ll make him some broth.”

“Are you sure that’s all this is?” Raf asked, helping Fallon to his feet. Fallon clung to him, burying his face in Raf’s neck. Raf’s arms tightened around him and he lifted Fallon into his arms. 

Hanna stepped forward and touched Fallon’s cheek with the back of her fingers. She gave him a small smile when Fallon looked at her. “Are you feeling any pain anywhere?” Fallon motioned to his forehead, but left out the sharp pain in his stomach. He was certain that would pass by tomorrow too. “Yes I’m sure,” Hanna told Raf. “Give him some ibuprofen and let him sleep. He’ll be fine in the morning.”

Raf nodded and carried Fallon to his bedroom, laying him down on the bed. He kissed Fallon’s cheek and left him to sleep. Fallon managed to get in a few hours sleep, only getting up two times to throw up again. The pain in his stomach lessened and he finally manage to fully relax.

The bed dipped behind him and Fallon turned his head to see Raf lay down. He pressed his chest to Fallon’s back and kissed his shoulder. 

“Are you feeling better?” Raf whispered, rubbing Fallon’s stomach gently.

Fallon nodded, closing his eyes while his master comforted him. Hanna brought him broth for dinner, instructing him to sip it slowly. Once dinner was finished, they returned to bed. Raf held Fallon close while he slept and comforted him when the nausea overtook him again. 

~~~  
Fallon stood in the bathroom, looking into the full-length mirror behind the door as he lifted his shirt and gently pressed his fingers to the right side of his stomach. He hissed in pain, biting back a whimper so Raf didn't hear him and think something was wrong.

After spending hours between dozing and puking last night, Fallon had woken that morning with a renewed pain in his stomach. He hadn’t thrown up yet today, but he was fighting to keep his breakfast down. He knew Raf would drag him into the doctor’s office if he did. 

The pain wasn’t terrible this morning, but it had slowly gotten worse as the morning went on. A knock on the door made him look up. “Fallon, are you ready?” Raf called.

Fallon dropped his shirt and opened the door, nodding when he looked up at Raf. Raf gave him a small smile and reached for his hand. Fallon took it, hoping he didn’t feel hot to Raf. He must not have, because Raf pulled him out of the bathroom and into the living room without saying anything.

The drive to the hotel was horrible, each bump in the road sending a jolt of pain through his stomach. Thankfully, Fallon managed to keep his composure so Raf didn’t get suspicious. By the time they made it to Eden’s apartment, Fallon felt like he was going to vomit. 

Raf was running late so he dashed out the door seconds later with a quick kiss to Fallon’s cheek. 

Cade and Jace were finishing up with breakfast and Eden had left with Raf, which meant Fallon was alone to semi-fall apart. He shuffled to the couch and laid down on his left side, facing the back of the couch. He closed his eyes, willing the pain away. It was getting worse with every second that ticked by and he was starting to get dizzy. 

“Are you alright?” Jace asked, sliding his fingers through Fallon’s hair. “Raf said you were sick yesterday, are you still not feeling well?”

Fallon rolled onto his back to answer and was struck by a wave of nausea. He gave Jace a quick nod, not indicating which question he was answering before he rushed to the bathroom. He fell to his knees in the bathroom, vomiting violently into the toilet. 

The pain in his side was growing unbearable and he was having trouble breathing. He gently clutched his side as he pushed away from the toilet and pulled himself to his feet. He managed to wash his hands and rinse his mouth before the pain brought him back to his knees. 

Fallon’s heart was pounding in his ears and he was hot and cold at the same time. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his breathing became shallow. He needed help and that would mean he’d have to get himself to the living room.

Reaching for the door, Fallon forced himself back to his feet and pulled it open. He leaned on the doorframe, bracing himself for the pain that was going to come when he moved again. He took a step forward and whimpered when pain stabbed at his stomach.

Sinking back to the floor, Fallon resigned to using the only other thing that would get help to come to him. Working up his courage and convincing himself that maybe this time someone would come, Fallon opened his mouth.

The first call for Cade was choked and raspy and Fallon had to clear his throat a few times before calling again. His next attempt was still raspy and weak from lack of use, but it was loud enough that he could be heard from the living room. 

“Fallon,” Cade called as he hurried down the hall, Jace following quickly behind him. “What’s wrong?” he whispered, kneeling down and touching Fallon’s shoulder.

“Hurts,” Fallon choked, groaning at the throbbing pain in his side. 

Cade’s eyes followed Fallon’s hand where it rested against his side and he lifted Fallon’s shirt, frowning. “Jace,” Cade said, turning his head to look at him, “Eden’s downstairs, you need to call him.”

“What is it?” Jace asked, leaning over Cade’s shoulder. 

“I think Fallon has the same thing that little girl had. The one a few months ago whose mother swore her daughter was going to die,” Cade replied, stroking Fallon’s cheek. 

“She had appendicitis,” Jace told them, his green eyes wide. He turned and hurried back towards the living room.

“It’s going to be okay,” Cade soothed when Fallon groaned. “We’re going to get you help.” He ran his fingers through Fallon’s sweaty hair and scooted closer to him.

“Raf,” Fallon whimpered. “I need Raf.”

“Don’t worry, Raf is coming. Just breath, Fallon.”

Fallon dragged in a slow breath as tears slid down his face. The door to the apartment opened and Eden hurried towards the bathroom, his phone to his ear and he spoke quickly to the person on the other line. He kneeled next to Fallon and hung up the phone, his blue eyes filled with worry.

“I’m going to take you to the hospital,” he said softly. “Raf’s going to meet us there. If it’s appendicitis, they’re going to have to remove it.”

“No, no,” Fallon whined. He remembered the last time someone had said those words.

“It’s okay, Fallon. You’ll fee better once it’s out,” Eden said softly, sliding one arm behind Fallon’s back and the other under his legs.

Fallon had heard those words before too. It had sounded reassuring back then, when they were cutting pieces of rubber band out of his skin. Those words would never reassure him again, no matter who said them.

Eden gently pulled Fallon to him, lifting him off the floor. They rode quietly down the elevator, Cade and Jace standing quietly beside Eden. They made it to the hospital faster then what was probably legal and Eden quickly handed Fallon off to a nurse, promising to find him once he filled out the paperwork. 

Fallon was wheeled into a small room and left without another word from the nurse. He closed his eyes, trying to breath slowly. He wished Raf was here to hold him instead of laying here alone and scared.

A tanned skinned man in blue scrubs stepped into the small room, his brown eyes scanning over the clipboard in his hand. When he looked up a sinister smile crossed his face, making Fallon shiver. 

“Appendicitis,” he tisked, “that’s a painful thing.” He set the clipboard on the table and moved towards Fallon. “Let’s get you out of these clothes and ready for surgery.”

The man hauled Fallon off the bed and set him on his feet, using his body to hold Fallon up. The man grabbed the curtain and pulled it across the entryway, hiding them from view. He pushed his body against Fallon’s and slid his hand under Fallon’s shirt. 

Fallon whimpered and pushed the man away, grabbing his shirt and pulling it down. A rough hand covered his mouth as fingers jabbed into his abdomen. Fallon doubled over in pain, screaming into the hand as he fought the bile that rose in his throat. 

“Fucking slave,” the man spat, grabbing Fallon’s chin and forcing Fallon to look at him. “You worthless piece of shit. Don’t you ever fucking touch me like that again.”

Fallon whimpered and nodded, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. The man grunted and released Fallon’s chin, sliding his hands down Fallon’s body. He jerked Fallon’s jeans open and shoved his hand inside. 

“What the fuck,” the nurse whispered, cupping Fallon’s testicle. He laughed and pulled his hand away. “You some kind of freak or something?” He jerked Fallon’s shirt over his head and pushed his jeans off his hips. “I’ve got to get pictures of this,” the nurse laughed. “No one’s going to believe that I fucked a one balled slut if I don’t.”

“Hey!” Eden’s stern voice boomed in the room, causing the nurse to jump away from Fallon. Cade came around Eden and reached for Fallon, pulling him into his arms. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“Nothing,” the nurse stuttered. “They told me to prep him for surgery.”

“I didn’t realize that raping him was part of the surgical prep,” Eden growled, grabbing the man by the shirt. “Do you know whose slave that is?”

“N-no,” the nurse cringed.

“He’s Rafael Greely’s slave. That’s Mathias Greely’s son if you didn’t figure that out.” Eden paused, his blue eyes blazing as he let his words sink in. “Now I suggest you get back to work, don’t touch any of the patients like you were touching Fallon and pray that when I tell Rafael, he let’s you keep your job.”

“Yes, sir,” the nurse muttered. He pulled away from Eden and left the room. 

Cade helped Fallon undress and into the medical gown, tying the little stings closed for him and helping him onto the bed. Moments late another nurse came in and took Fallon to get an ultrasound. 

“Raf will be here when you wake up from surgery,” Eden whispered, kissing Fallon’s forehead. 

“But I need him now,” Fallon groaned. “He needs to tell them not to take it.”

“The only thing they’re removing is your appendix,” Eden reassured. “If they don’t you’ll die.”

Fallon shook his head, wishing Eden would understand. They wheeled him away before he could say anything more. The ultrasound was quick, determining that it was his appendix and that it really did need to come out, and before Fallon knew, it he was being wheeled into another room and hooked up to monitors and an IV. 

“Okay sweetheart, can you count backwards from ten for me?” a young female nurse asked. 

“Please don’t take it,” Fallon whispered, repeating himself until he lost consciousness.


	10. Chapter 10

Fallon came back to consciousness quickly, his body jerking uncontrollably before he was able to get control of his limbs. He groaned in pain, reaching for the thing stuck in his nose and yanking it out.

“Easy, Fallon, you need that to breathe,” Raf whispered, taking Fallon’s hand gently and replacing the tube back under his nose.

Fallon blinked several times, moaning when Raf’s hand slid in his hair. Soft lips touched his forehead as the memory of the last few hours floated into Fallon’s mind. His entire body felt numb, except for the bandage stuck to his side.

“How are you feeling?” Raf asked, his lips brushing against Fallon’s chin. 

Fallon squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. Raf gently called his name, sliding his lips over Fallon’s. Fallon’s eyes slid open, his green eyes shining with betrayal. Raf gave a small intake of breath, before he smiled softly and slid his hand under the starched bed sheets. His fingers brushed over Fallon’s thigh as they slid between his legs and Fallon gave a relieved sigh when Raf cupped his testicle. 

“They kept telling me that you were begging them not to take it,” Raf explained. “At first I didn’t understand, but then I realized what they removed the last time you were in a hospital. The only thing they took was your appendix, I promise.”

“I wasn’t in a hospital for that,” Fallon whispered, turning his head and nuzzling Raf’s cheek. “My old master didn’t want to pay for that so they did it in the house.” 

“Of course he would,” Raf huffed. He slid his other hand through Fallon’s hair and kissed his forehead again.

Fallon hummed, opening his eyes to look out the window. It was later in the evening and Raf was still dressed in his suit, which meant he hadn’t gone home. His tie and jacket had been removed and he had rolled up the sleeves on his wrinkled shirt. Raf had all the signs of a man who had been sitting around worrying for hours. Fallon wondered if he had even eaten today.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner,” Raf said sincerely. “I couldn’t leave work.”

“It’s okay, I’m glad you’re here now,” Fallon whispered.

Raf smiled, ducking his head to press his lips to Fallon’s. He pushed up, and began moving away when Fallon reached out and weakly grabbed his hand.

“Will you lay with me?” Fallon whispered, tugging on Raf’s arm. Though he had asked, he wasn’t going to let Raf decide not to do it. All he had wanted since that morning was Raf to hold him and he wasn’t going to let anyone keep him from getting what he wanted. 

Raf nodded, toeing out of his shoes and sliding into bed. He gently pulled Fallon towards him and slid an arm over his chest. Fallon hummed comfortably and turned his head so their noses brushed.

“I couldn’t get time off,” Raf whispered as he nuzzled Fallon’s cheek. “I’ve got to go to work tomorrow and then I’ll come back. As long as everything checks out I should be able to take you home tomorrow evening.”

Fallon hummed again, enjoying the feel of his master’s arms around him. He sighed softly, sliding his head under Raf’s chin and closed his eyes. Today had been the first time he had spoken in over a year and he wondered if he would be able to do it again when this was all over. 

~~~  
Fallon dozed as he listened to Cade’s soothing voice tell him about a group of men who needed to throw a ring into a volcano. It was an odd story, but Cade had explained the trilogy with such excitement that Fallon couldn’t tell him no when Cade asked if he wanted him to read the first book. Jace sat in the corner working on his stitching, a small smile tugging at his lips when Cade’s voice rose with his storytelling.

Eden had brought Cade and Jace that morning before Raf left for work, using the excuse that Fallon needed company while he was stuck in bed all day. Fallon knew it was to keep the nurses and doctors from touching him like the male nurse had done the day before. He was sure Raf didn’t have to worry, considering the nurses were extremely cautious every time they came into the room. Raf’s threats were enough to keep their hand off Fallon.

As Cade got more and more into the book, Jace began running commentary, annoying Cade by telling him the movie was better and that the books were too long and wordy for his taste. The harmless jabs led to some interesting name-calling and some even more interesting threats if Jace continued to disrupt Cade.

Fallon chuckled when Cade let out a string of interesting curses and he opened his eyes to look at the two lovers. Jace had made another comment about the elf and human love interest being clichéd, forcing Cade to snap the book shut and smack him with it. Jace gave Cade a look of hurt and he pitifully rubbed the spot on his thigh where Cade had smacked him.

Cade rolled his eyes at him and whispered something endearing as he reached out and rubbed Jace’s leg.

“You two are so sweet I don’t know how you don’t put people in a coma,” Fallon mumbled, shifting in the bed to get more comfortable.

“You should talk,” Cade replied, sticking his tongue out a Fallon. “You’re adorable when you’re being all quiet and brooding.”

“I’m not brooding,” Fallon replied defensively.

Jace snorted but didn’t comment and Cade gave him a look of disbelief. “I hope you keep Raf on his toes for the next ten, hopefully more, years. Raf could use a little trouble in his life and you’re good at giving him trouble.”

“I’m not trouble,” Fallon huffed. “Ten years?” he grumbled to himself. “Is that how long I have till he gets bored with me?”

“No,” Cade said, cocking his head, “it’s how long Raf has to own you before he can give you your freedom.”

Fallon gaped at him in surprise. Raf could free him in ten years? That meant he would never have to suffer at the hands of another master again. It also meant that if things went bad with Raf, he didn’t have to stay with him once his years of forced slavery were over.

“You didn’t know?” Cade asked.

“No,” Fallon shook his head. “Is your master going to set the both of you free?”

“Eden is not our master,” Jace reminded. “And yes, when our ten years are up, we will be free men.”

“Then what will you do?” Fallon asked, fixated on the fact that Cade and Jace had been promised their freedom already.

“Go to college, find jobs,” Cade shrugged. “One thing’s for certain, we won’t be leaving Eden. We love him and we want to continue our life together after we’re free.”

Fallon nodded, he understood why Cade and Jace wouldn’t leave the master they loved after they were free. Eden already treated them like normal human beings and not things he owned. He truly did love them.

Unfortunately for him, there was no love between him and Raf. There were only feelings that could possibly lead to something more if Fallon allowed it, but he still wasn’t sure how Raf felt and he didn’t want to let Raf know about feelings he could use against him.

“Do you really think Raf would set me free?”

“I don’t see why not,” Jace shrugged. “But I wouldn’t get your hopes up until you talked to him about it.”

“Talk to who about what?” Raf asked as he and Eden stepped into the room. He smiled brightly and strode over to Fallon, leaning down to kiss his lips. “I managed to get a half a day at work so I can take you home,” he whispered, brushing his lips against Fallon’s.

“Good,” Fallon replied, pushing up to kiss Raf again.

“I was telling Fallon that in ten years you could free him,” Cade said happily.

Raf jerked his head away from the kiss and looked at Cade with an alarmed expression.

“Cade,” Eden grumbled with displeasure.

Cade smile faltered and he looked at the two men. “What?” he asked, “was I not supposed to tell him?” His eyes widened when a sudden realization came over him and he pointed a finger accusingly at Raf. “You’re not going to set him free!”

“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Raf said quietly looking apologetically at Fallon, “it’s that I can’t. The laws for Fallon are different then the laws for you and Jace.”

“I don’t understand, we’re all slaves so how are they different?” Cade asked. 

“Because you and Jace were born into slavery, where Fallon was forced into it, which is illegal even though it goes on all the time. I could give Fallon his freedom after ten years, but that would mean he would have to go back to living on the streets. Because the government turns a blind eye towards the homeless being picked up and turned into slaves, when someone like Fallon is set free they have to find a way to acknowledge that what happened to them is illegal and they do that by putting them back into the situation they were in before they were taken.”

“Which means Fallon would be thrown back onto the streets?” Cade asked. “That doesn’t even make any sense.”

“No, it doesn’t, but they think it will atone for them looking the other way in the first place,” Raf sighed. “It also means I can’t have any contact with Fallon at all. I can’t even help him get back on his feet after he’s freed. Any type of contact and the government will think I’m trying to force him back into my ownership. If I get caught, which will be much more likely then the animals who took him off the streets in the first place, I’ll be prosecuted and put into jail.”

“But what if Eden tried to help him?” Jace asked. 

“He would suffer the same consequences because they know he and I are friends. No one who knew him while he was my slave would be allowed to speak to him because they could be trying to force him back into slavery. The unfortunate reality is that most people who were forced into slavery end up back into slavery once they are freed because they get themselves trapped again and brought back to the holding centers. Some even do it on purpose just so they have a place to sleep at night and food to eat.”

“So why doesn’t the government just stop them in the first place? Why do they have to make everything complicated?”

“Because it has nothing to do with Fallon or any of the other people who’ve been forced into slavery. It has everything to with the fact that the government doesn’t want to take care of their people. The less people living on the streets means the less money the government has to shell out to government funded soup kitchens and health clinics these people use.”

“That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” Cade huffed.

“Well when I free you you can run for president and try to fix it,” Eden told him, reaching out to ruffled Cade’s hair.

“That means you and Jace will be my first ladies,” Cade teased.

Everyone laughed except for Fallon, who was staring at Raf in disbelief. Though Jace had told him not to get his hopes up, he had and now Fallon was left drowning in despair. He knew he should be happy that Raf was going to save him from a life on the streets again, but the knowledge that Raf would forever own him sent a sharp pain through his chest. It also drained all the confidence he had gained over the last month and he was left hiding his emotions and unable to form words to speak. 

Raf’s fingers carded through Fallon’s hair and he hooked a finger under his chin. Fallon allowed Raf to tilt his head back, but he couldn’t hide the disappointment on his face. Raf’s smile faded when their eyes met and he leaned down and gave Fallon a small kiss.

“I’m sorry, beau, this wasn’t how I wanted you to find out,” he whispered.

Fallon nodded in understanding, even though he had hundreds of questions running through his mind. He turned his head and his eyes met Eden’s. The man gave him an apologetic look as he reached for Cade’s hand. 

“Why don’t we head home so Raf and Fallon can get home themselves?” he suggested. Cade and Jace nodded and stood, saying a quick goodbye to Raf and Fallon.

A nurse entered the room seconds later to check Fallon out and they were soon on their way home. Fallon stayed quiet on the drive home despite Raf’s attempts at starting a conversation. Though Raf had never mentioned giving Fallon his freedom, he still felt like he had been betrayed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've gotten a lot of this story written and I've finally got the ending planned out, now it's just a matter of going back and doing chapter edits before I post them.
> 
> I've also come to a decision that I'm confident enough with my writing to start submitting my writing to publishers, which I'm really happy about because I have been worried that my writing wasn't good enough.
> 
> That being said, I do still plan on finishing The Unwanted here, I'll also post the final part of the series here too since it's pointless not to. I'll continue with the other stories I haven't finished her also, with the exception of my Changeling series because I have no idea where the hell I was going with it. 
> 
> I'll keep everyone posted on what's happening with my writing. Enjoy!

Fallon gently pulled on his shirt, ever aware of the incision in his stomach and the pull of stitches against his skin. He pulled his shirt down and smoothed down the front, convincing himself that he needed to eat something.

He had been home for a few days now and the house he had come to enjoy was starting to feel like a prison. He wasn’t allowed outside for fear that he might over do himself and spending time with Raf was starting to feel like a chore. It didn’t help that the medication they had put him on had given him a bad reaction, which resulted in him spending more time in and out of doctor’s offices. 

He was miserable and he hated that it was his own subconscious doing it. He had every right to be happy here with Raf. The man was perfect. But the thought of being owned for the rest of his life left a heavy weight in Fallon’s chest. 

He moved towards the kitchen, dreading the food he was going to force himself to eat. The painkillers and antibiotics he had to take made everything he ate taste disgusting and more often then not it left him vomiting in the bathroom an hour later. The new medication was slightly better, but Fallon didn’t feel like himself after he took it.

In fact, the only part of his body that seemed to respond positively was his cock. Fallon assumed it was making up for lost time, but he wished it would do it in the morning instead of waking him up in the middle of the night. Before his surgery he would wake Raf up and ask him to touch him, but now Raf refused to do anything intimate until Fallon healed, which left him laying in bed awake for hours, willing his cock to go back to sleep.

He headed towards the kitchen side of the bedroom, playing with the waistband of his sweatpants so it didn’t put pressure on his incision. He paused when he heard Raf’s voice on the other side of the door. He was talking to Hannah about something and Fallon swore he heard is name mentioned. He quietly reached for the doorknob and opened the door a crack so he could hear what they were saying.

“He hasn’t spoken for days,” Raf said, sounding distraught. “I mean, he wasn’t talking all that much when he was, but at least he was saying something. God, why did Cade have to say something? Not that it’s his fault really, I never told him not to say anything and he just assumed I would give Fallon his freedom. Now it’s caused this rift between us.”

“I think you’re worrying too much about it,” Hannah told him softly. “He’s been through a lot these last few days and instead of worrying about him not speaking now, you should rejoice in the fact that he spoke when he needed help, something he didn’t get the last time he asked for it. Fallon will come around again, just give him time.”

“I’m just worried about him. I want him to trust me and I want him to understand that he’s not a slave, but how can I do that when I can’t even give him his freedom? Damn these laws.” A chair scraped across the floor and someone sat down. 

“You are right,” Raf sighed, his voice softer. “Cade told me all he kept asking for was me. Maybe that’s why he’s so upset now, because I wasn’t there when he needed me.”

Hannah chuckled softly. “You love him don’t you?”

The question shocked Fallon. Did Raf love him? The thought sent his stomach twisting and his heart racing. It had been so long since Fallon had felt anything and all it too was a look or a touch from Raf and it felt like his body was going to explode from emotion. But was that really love or was it just his sex drive going wild now that his body worked again?

“I think I’m falling in love with him,” Raf whispered. “But it’s only been a month and I can’t really decide if it really is love, or just a strong urge to protect him and care for him.”

“Love gives you a strong urge to protect and care for someone, Rafael,” Hanna said softly.

“I guess you’re right.”

Fallon quietly closed the door and moved away, unwilling to hear the rest of the conversation. His heart was racing in his chest and he couldn’t stop hearing Raf’s words in his head. Could a master really love a slave? It wasn’t like Fallon could leave if he didn’t. 

But Raf owned him, which meant he didn’t need to love Fallon. Sure, people loved the pets they owned and some people loved cars and other possessions, so why not Raf love him? Then again, when those things died or were no longer useful, they would just buy another; so how truthful was the love? 

Fallon mulled it over in his head as he paced the floor of the bedroom. Comparing himself to a dog was making him feel claustrophobic and he suddenly needed open space. He slipped on his shoes and pushed open the sliding glass door, his stitches tugging as he did. 

He stepped outside into the humid air and shut the door, taking a deep breath. They were going into July soon and the days were heating up quickly, the heavy rainfall last night making the air heavier.

Fallon wandered around the garden, taking in the flowers that had recently bloomed and the vegetables that were starting to grow. He let his mind wander as he circled the garden, letting his nerves and fears ease the weight in his stomach.

A tiny mewl caught his attention and he paused, turning his head towards the sound. He heard it again and moved towards the noise. 

Caught in the green mesh fence was a tiny grey puffball. It mewled again, writhing as it tried to get its head unstuck from the fence. Fallon kneeled down, careful not to crush the flowers and grasped the fence with one hand to hold it still. Grey eyes looked up at him and the kitten meowed and began to struggle against the fence.

“Easy,” Fallon whispered. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

He gently curled one hand around the kitten’s body and held her still while he used his other hand to stretch the fencing around her neck. Tiny claws dug into his fingers and the kitten gave a terrified cry.

Fallon continued to whisper to her as he pulled her free from the fence. He shook her head several times as Fallon lifted her off the ground and cradled her in his arms. “There you go,” he said softly. 

The kitten gave a small meow, letting Fallon carry her to a small bench. Fallon checked her over to make sure he hadn’t cut herself, his fingers combing through soft, poufy fur. She was a mix of grey and white fur with a white strip under her belly and down the inside of her front legs. 

“Where did you come from?” Fallon cooed, smiling when she meowed at him. He looked around, wondering if her mother was nearby. He didn’t see any other animals, so he assumed that she had wandered off and got lost. 

Fallon wasn’t sure whether to bring the kitten inside and show her to Raf, or let her go and hope she found her way back home. The thought of letting her loose was terrifying to him, especially if she got caught again. Who knew what other animals were prowling around out here. Fallon would never be able to forgive himself if she got killed. 

He didn’t know how Raf would react if he brought her into the house, so he decided to find a safe place for her in the garden until he could come up with something else. The kitten mewled when Fallon stood and he stroked her fur while he tried to find somewhere to hide her. He found a small spot on the far side of the garden that had a raised empty bed. Setting her inside, Fallon made sure she couldn’t climb out before leaving her. He found a few boards near the garage to put over part of the bed in hopes of hiding her from any predators.

“I’ll be back in a little bit with some water and food,” he promised.

He hurried back to the house and slipped inside, kicking off his shoes and making his way to the kitchen. Hannah greeted him warmly as he sat at the table and she set a bowl of oatmeal with slices of apples in front of him. Fallon ate slowly, wondering where Raf had gone.

A thump upstairs gave him his answer and he glanced towards the stairs as Raf and Lucas stepped off the steps. “Are you sure it’s okay for you to go home?” Raf asked, setting down the suitcase he was holding.

“Everything is pretty much settled,” Lucas told him, a soft smile on his face. “My father’s been arrested and they have enough evidence against him that I don’t have to worry about being framed. Besides, I thought you’d want me out of your hair?”

“Well I’m glad everything’s finally calmed down, but I just want to make sure you’re alright,” Raf frowned. 

“I’m fine,” Lucas assured. “I will call you to keep you updated and if something goes wrong you’ll be the first to know.”

“You’re always welcome here,” Raf smiled. He gave Lucas a hug and helped him out to his car.

“I’m glad that boy’s finally able to go back home,” Hannah sighed, smiling at Fallon. “Such a shame what his father did to him. It’s a shame Raf and Eden’s fathers are no better. Thank heaven those boys turned out better than the men who raised them.”

Fallon nodded as he continued eating, wondering if he would have to meet Raf’s father. He turned his attention to the kitten outside, mapping out in his mind how to sneak some milk to her.   
He finished what he could of his oatmeal and slid out of his chair, setting his bowl in the sink and swiping one that was drying on a towel. He hurried to the fridge and grabbed the small carton of milk, shutting the door quietly so Hannah didn’t hear. 

He made his way back out to the garden and knelt down by the box, smiling when the kitten mewled at him. He gently lifted her out of the box, petting her soft fur as she mewled. Setting her on the ground, he opened the carton of milk and poured some into the bowl.

The kitten hurried over to it, dipping her tiny nose into the milk and lapping hungrily. Fallon looked up at the sky, frowning at the grey clouds overhead. It was going to rain again and that meant the box would flood. He was going to have to find somewhere else for the little kitten and soon.

“Fallon?”

Fallon jerked at Raf’s voice and quickly scooped up the kitten. She mewled in displeasure and began wiggling in his arms. He held her closer, turning to look at Raf when he stepped around the corner.

“What are you doing out here?” he demanded. “And why are you on the ground? You should be inside resting, not out here on the wet ground.” Raf took a breath to say more, but a tiny mewl of protest cut him off. He looked down at Fallon, his grey eyes going from upset to curious. “Is that a kitten?”

Fallon nodded, holding the kitten out to Raf, looking ashamed. The last time he had brought a stray home he had been nine years old and living in a horrible foster home. Fallon had believed that the small mangy puppy would bring a little happiness to the kids he lived with. Instead it got him beat till he was black and blue and locked in his room for a week. According to the other kids the husband had taken care of the dog and even though most thought he had found a loving home for the puppy, Fallon knew he had brought that puppy to his death that day.

Raf kneeled on the ground in front of Fallon and took the kitten from him. She mewled softly, licking Raf’s fingers when he tried to pet her. Raf smiled softly and ruffled her fur as she wiggled in his hand.

“Let’s go inside,” Raf said, pushing to his feet. “Make sure you put the milk back in the fridge or Hannah will have a fit.”

“Please,” Fallon called when Raf turned to leave. “Don’t hurt her,” he begged, his voice weak.

Raf turned back around and looked at him curiously. He bent back down and handed Fallon the kitten. “Take your kitten and put her in the bathtub until we decide what to do with her.”

Fallon nodded, letting Raf help him to his feet. Raf scooped up the milk and the bowl and followed him inside. Fallon did as he was told, setting the kitten in the tub before heading back into the bedroom to face Raf’s anger.

“Let’s get you out of those wet clothes,” Raf said softly, sliding his fingers into the waistband of Fallon’s sweatpants and sliding them down. He checked Fallon’s incision to make sure it was okay and helped him into another pair of sweats. “Why did you think I was going to hurt her?” Raf asked, caressing Fallon’s cheek. 

Fallon shook his head, sliding his arms into the sleeves of his shirt. Raf frowned at him, helping Fallon get his shirt over his head and tugging it down. They stood staring at each other for a few silent seconds before Raf looked pointedly at the bed. Fallon puffed out a breath and crawled into bed, sliding under the covers and yanking them over his head.

Raf sighed and tugged the sheets down. “I’m going to run out and get some things for your cat. Why don’t you think of a name for her while you’re sulking in bed?”

Fallon grunted, turning away from Raf when he tried to kiss him. He caught the end of an eye roll from Raf when he turned back, scowling when Raf turned away from him. He badly wanted to yell at Raf for leaving him here in bed again. He knew he needed to rest, but he was tired of looking at the same curved walls. 

When the door to the bedroom clicked shut, Fallon rolled over and buried his head under a pillow. He closed his eyes, telling himself the only way the time would pass was if he slept.  
Unfortunately, sleep wasn’t going to come easy, which meant he was going to spend the next few hours staring up at the ceiling. 

The bedroom door creaking open got his attention and he yanked the pillow off his head, sitting up when Raf appeared around the corner. His master gave him an apologetic smile and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Hannah told me that I’m being really cruel to you,” he said, his voice soft. “I guess I didn’t realize how horrible it would be stuck in bed for days until she pointed it out. So, since she’s your cat, you should probably come with me and pick out her things.”

Fallon nodded readily and shoved off the covers. He climbed out of bed and rummaged through his drawer in the dresser, extracting a pair of jeans. He shoved his sweats down, ignoring Raf when he suggested Fallon keep the sweats on. Raf had purchased jeans a few sizes larger since Fallon was putting on weight, so the loose fit wouldn’t put pressure on his incision. 

“You couldn’t just go in the sweats?” Raf asked, folding his arms over his chest.

Fallon gave him a tenacious smile and shook his head. Raf snorted and held out his hand. “Let’s get your shoes on before I change my mind and make you get back into bed.”

~~~  
Fallon trailed lazily behind Raf as they entered the pet store, glancing around at the signs advertising treats and grooming. He was happy to be out of the house, though, he was moving slower because of the tugging on his stitches.

Raf’s strides were slower then normal, accommodating for Fallon’s speed, which warmed Fallon to the core. He turned down an isle marked for cats and stopped until Fallon caught up to him, his soft grey eyes looking over a row of collars. 

“I’m not a fan of litter boxes so she’ll have to learn to go outside,” Raf told Fallon. “I think it would be a good idea to get her a collar and a tag just in case she wanders off.”

Fallon nodded, searching through the collars. He knew the kitten would grow fast so he chose one that was larger and hoped it wouldn’t be too big for her right now. Raf nodded when he placed the black leather collar with purple stitching into the basket he held. It had a small bell attached to the ring and it jingled when Raf walked. They picked up a bed, some cat toys, and a litter box Raf swore they would only use for training. 

They turned the corner towards the cat food isle when a man stopped short in front of them and smile. “What are you doing in a pet store?” he asked, chuckling when his brown eyes strayed to the basket of cat items.

“The same thing you are,” Raf replied defensively. He frowned when the other man laughed. “Asher, this is Fallon, Fallon, my friend Asher. He works with me at the law firm.”

Fallon nodded to the man, scooting closer to Raf. There was still a part of him that was weary around strangers.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Asher said. “Are you the one making Raf buy all these cat toys?”

“Fallon found a kitten in the back yard and we decided to keep her,” Raf told him. Fallon fought not to laugh at the fact that it was Raf who allowed Fallon to keep her and not a united decision.

“And you agreed?” Asher asked in surprise. “Damn,” he whispered, looking at Fallon with surprised brown eyes. “You must be someone special if Raf let you bring an animal into his home. He’s not a fan of four legged creatures that don’t live in a barn.”

“That’s not true,” Raf grunted. “I never saw the appeal of having a pet before now.”

“Uh-uh,” Asher said, silently calling Raf out on his bullshit. “Well I better get going before my wife calls me. It was nice meeting you,” Asher said, waving goodbye to Fallon.

Raf grumbled something again and took a step forward, leaving Fallon wondering why his master had a sudden change of heart on owning pets. Then again, Raf had always owned pets, they were just two legged instead of four. 

Raf chose an all-natural kitten food and they headed to the front of the store, handing Fallon money to create a pet tag while he purchased the other items. Fallon smiled at the woman behind the counter and motioned to the pet tags. She handed him a sheet of paper and instructed him to fill out the information. 

He chose a pink tag that slid onto the collar so it would be harder to get off if the kitten did get away and began filling out the form. He didn’t need to think of a name, he had already planned out his pets’ names years ago. After all, Fallon believed his only real companion in life would be a cat or a dog.

“Pia,” Raf said behind Fallon, causing him to jump. “I’ve never heard of that name before. How did you come up with it?”

Fallon turned to hand Raf the form so he could fill out the rest, mumbling something incoherently. Raf quirked an eyebrow at him and set the plastic bag he was holding on the floor. Fallon huffed and glanced around to make sure no one was listening.

“I kind of figured out my future pet’s names years ago,” he said in a soft whisper. 

“Did you plan on having a lot of them?” Raf asked, scribbling his phone number onto the page.

“Two dogs and a cat,” Fallon replied, dropping his voice lower when someone walked past. “My dogs would be Else and Calla and my cat would be Pia.”

“And why did you choose those names?” Raf asked, handing the slip of paper to the young woman.

“They were characters in a book my mom used to read to me,” Fallon shrugged. “It seemed fitting.”

“Did you only plan on getting female pets? What if your kitten was a boy?”

“Benson and Murphy for the dogs and Samson for the cat.”

“You’re very prepared for this,” Raf smiled.

Fallon shrugged again, his cheeks warming. He knew most young girls picked out names for their future children when they were young, why couldn’t he do it with his future pets?   
The woman came back with the tag and Fallon was surprised to see that his name was listed for the contact. He looked up at Raf, who gave him a crooked smile.

“She is your cat.”

Fallon smiled brightly at him and picked up one of the plastic bags, following Raf out of the store. 

On the drive home something Asher had said about Raf and pets started nagging at Fallon and he turned to look at his master. “Are you letting me keep Pia as a way of apologizing to me?” he asked.

“What do you mean?” Raf asked, glancing at him before returning his attention to the road.

“Asher said you never wanted pets, but you didn’t hesitate to let me keep her. Why is that?”

“Because I want you to be happy,” Raf replied sincerely. “I want you to feel like my home is your home too and not some prison you’re forced to live in because you’re a slave.”

“You never made it feel like a prison,” Fallon told him quietly. 

“But you’ve been acting like it is ever since you learned that I can’t give you your freedom back. So to answer your question, it may have crossed my mind that you might forgive me a little bit if I let you have a pet. As for what Asher said, I’m not against pets, I just never saw myself having one. Even my horses aren’t pets.”

“I’m your pet.”

“You are far from a pet, Fallon. I know it’s hard to believe that based on the fact that I own you, but I want it to be clear, I do not and never will consider you a pet.”

“Then what do you consider me?” Fallon asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“A friend, a lover, someone I would like to share future experiences with if you’ll let me,” Raf replied sincerely.

Fallon watched him for a moment, surprised at the deep longing those words brought him. He liked the idea of being a lover instead of another one of Raf’s sex toys and he really liked that Raf’s future plans also included him too. He smiled softly and reached out to take Raf’s hand.

“I would like that. Thank you.”

Raf’s growing smile mirrored his own and he pulled Fallon’s hand up and kissed his knuckles. “You’re very important to me, Fallon. I want you to remember that the next time you question what I see you as.”

Fallon nodded, fighting back the constricting feeling in his chest. Raf had told Hannah he was falling in love with Fallon, which meant it wouldn’t be so bad if Fallon let himself fall in love too.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Finally hit 50k for NaNo and now that the holidays are over I can get back to this story. I'm going to try to update more often, but I'm not making any promises, considering life keeps getting in the way all the time. enjoy!

Fallon rolled into Raf’s side and slid his hand over his stomach. He began drawing small circles over the smooth skin with his fingers as he slid his leg over Raf’s thighs. Raf hummed, turning his head and kissing Fallon’s forehead. 

“How are you feeling?” Raf asked.

Fallon hummed, rolling again so he was closer to Raf. He had fallen back into his silence, speaking a few words when he felt like it, which had caused Raf to start panicking. Hannah told Raf the next day it was the only thing in Fallon’s life he could still control and that Raf should stop worrying about it. If made Fallon happy to know that someone at least understood him. 

“Do you still want to go today? You can say no if you’re not feeling up to it.”

Fallon pushed himself up onto his hands, hiding a wince when his healing incision tugged. The stitches had dissolved, but the muscle they had sliced through was going to need more time to heal.

He looked down at Raf, frowning slowly. Today was the fourth of July and Raf had told him that they had been invited to his parent’s home for a party. He had then quickly told Fallon that if he didn’t feel up to it, they didn’t have to go.

Fallon hadn’t heard much about Raf’s parents, but he knew that Raf’s father wouldn’t approve of him. It didn’t matter, though, this was Raf’s family, the only one he had; so if Fallon had to suffer through a few harsh words form Raf’s father so his master could spend time with his family, he would do it.

A meow at the foot of the bed drew their attention and the comforter began to pull as claws scaled the fabric. A grey head poked over the top of the bed and Pia meowed again. She climbed onto the bed and bounded towards Raf and Fallon. She crawled onto Raf’s chest, mewling again as she swatted at his chin.

“Your child is misbehaving,” Raf groaned when Pia plopped down onto his chest, rolling over to bat at Fallon’s fingers when he dangled them over her.

Fallon liked that Raf considered Pia Fallon’s child, he also liked that Pia enjoyed bothering Raf. He wasn’t sure if she did it because she was happy Raf let her stay, or if she knew Raf wouldn’t kick her out if she annoyed him. Either way, the house had gotten livelier since Pia had arrived and Fallon enjoyed her and Raf’s interactions.

“Last chance to change your mind about going,” Raf said, stroking Pia’s fur.

Fallon gave him a look that told Raf he wasn’t getting out of this that easily and rolled out of bed. Raf sighed behind him and slid Pia off his chest to climb out of bed. “You’re going to have to wear a suit today,” he said, walking past Fallon and sliding the tips of his fingers over Fallon’s lower back.

Fallon gave a full body shudder and his cock throbbed. Raf still hadn’t touched him since his surgery and every touch had his body crying with need. He didn’t care what he had to wear today; all he wanted was his master to have the opportunity to enjoy the time he had with his family. Fallon learned the hard way that you could loose your family in the blink of an eye. 

He joined Raf in the shower, washing quickly so he could take time getting dressed. He had never worn a suit before and he assumed it was going to take him longer then normal to get dressed based on Raf’s morning routine. 

Raf laid out Fallon’s suit in the large walk in closet, instructing him to call for help if he needed anything. Raf took his own suit into the bedroom, leaving Fallon alone. 

Fallon frowned, grabbing his undershirt and gently tugging it on. He pulled on the crisp, mint colored button down shirt and reached for his black slacks. He pulled them on, glancing at the other pieces of clothing hanging up. He tucked in his shirt and buttoned up his slacks, turning to the sleeves. He fought to get the cuffs buttoned, growling when he couldn’t get the button to behave.   
He huffed in frustration and stepped out of the closet to ask Raf for help. He rounded the corner, stopping short and catching himself on the wall when he caught sight of his master. He let out a noise that sounded like a distressed animal and his cock immediately hardened. 

Raf’s head snapped around when he heard the noise, his face pulling into a frown. He turned, showing off the pure white button down shirt and black four-button vest. The dark color brought out his stunning dark grey eyes and the expensive fabric outlined his broad shoulders. 

“Are you alright?” Raf asked, taking a step forward.

Fallon held up a hand to keep him from moving forward, his eyes riveted on his master’s face. “You… you can’t wear that suit,” Fallon stammered, shifting as his cock pressed against the loose fabric of his slacks.

Raf cocked his head, his bright grey eyes looking Fallon up and down, lingering on Fallon’s crotch before moving back up to met his eyes. He smiled mischievously and took another step forward. “Why can’t I wear it?” Raf asked innocently. 

Fallon glared at him and straightened up. He moved towards Raf and grabbed his hand, guiding to his cock like he had the first time he had gotten hard. Raf’s smirk grew and he gently squeezed Fallon through his pants. 

“Because if you wear it, I’ll probably pass the fuck out from lack of blood running to my brain,” Fallon replied through gritted teeth. 

“Language,” Raf scolded, squeezing Fallon again. “I didn’t realize a nice suit would drive you so crazy.”

“Well the fact that you haven’t touched me lately doesn’t help,” Fallon groaned. 

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” Raf replied apologetically.

“You wouldn’t have,” Fallon whispered, taking a step backwards when Raf pushed forward. Fallon’s back hit the wall and Raf crowded against him, leaning down for a messy kiss. 

Fallon groaned into the kiss, pressing against Raf’s hand that was still cupping him in his pants. Raf moaned, sliding both hands up to slowly unbutton Fallon’s shirt. He gently slid Fallon’s shirt off and hung it off the knob of his bedside table. He removed Fallon’s pants next and pulled away, laying them across the bed so they didn’t wrinkle.

Fallon moaned and reached down to grasp his cock, but Raf reached him first and set his hand against the wall. He gave Fallon another messy kiss and slid to his knees. Smooth hands slid up Fallon’s thighs and Raf leaned forward to nip at his hipbone. 

Fallon slid his fingers into Raf’s hair, gasping as his tongue dragged over the juncture of his hip. Fallon gently pugged at Raf’s hair, trying to guide him towards his cock. Raf’s laughter ghosted against Fallon’s skin and he moved towards Fallon’s cock, drawing the head slowly into his mouth.

Fallon moaned, gripping Raf’s hair tighter. Raf slid his lips down Fallon’s cock, taking him into the back of his throat and running his tongue over the pulsing vein on the underside of his cock.   
Fallon groaned, pushing his hips back and pulling his cock from Raf’s mouth. He pushed his hips forward, forcing his cock into Raf’s mouth. Raf hummed, pressing Fallon’s hips against the wall as he bobbed his head. Fallon gasped and moaned, writhing against the wall. 

The incision at his side tugged and he bent over slightly so he didn’t hurt himself. Fallon wasn’t going to last much longer considering he hadn’t come in weeks. His hand tightened in Raf’s hair when he licked at he head of Fallon’s cock, stroking the shaft while his tongue teased the dripping slit. 

Raf pulled back, releasing Fallon’s cock completely. He pried Fallon’s fingers out of his hair when Fallon tried to tug him back and leaned backwards to look up at him. Raf smirked and sucked his middle finger into his mouth. 

Fallon groaned and spread his legs. He could only imagine what Raf was going to do to him next. 

Sliding his wet finger from his mouth, Raf leaned forward and slid his hand between Fallon’s legs. He sucked Fallon’s testicle into his mouth and slipped his finger between Fallon’s ass cheeks. Fallon moaned when the tip of Raf’s finger pressed against the ring of muscles, adding just enough pressure to push the very tip of his finger in.

Raf’s tongue slid over Fallon’s testicle and up his cock, wrapping his lips around the head of his cock. Fallon clenched around the finger pushing into him and he rolled his hips. Again Raf pushed his hips against the wall, holding him in place as he shuttled his finger in and out. 

Fallon whimpered, sliding both hands into Raf’s hair. He cried out when Raf hooked his finger, pressing against Fallon’s prostate. His body curled forward and he spread his legs wider. He dragged in a harsh breath, feeling pleasure curl in his gut.

Raf dragged the tip of his finger over Fallon’s prostate again, sliding his tongue over Fallon’s cock and taking him deep in his throat. He sucked hard, drawing out small cries of pleasure from Fallon as his need built. 

Fallon gasped, arching his back when he started to come. The stretch of his stomach tugged at his healing incision and he curled forward, clutching at the back of Raf’s head as he continued to come. He shuttered with each strand of come he shot down Raf’s throat, clutching at the finger that continued to massage his prostate. 

When Fallon relaxed, Raf pushed back, sliding Fallon’s cock out of his mouth and withdrawing his finger. He placed a kiss on Fallon’s hip and stood up, sliding his lips against Fallon’s mouth. Fallon hungrily returned the kiss, sliding his arms around Fallon’s neck.

“We need to get going,” Raf whispered, pulling away.

Fallon reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling his master back to him. Fallon glanced down at the bulge in Raf’s pants and slid to the floor.

“Fallon, no,” Raf grunted, taking a step back. 

Fallon batted away the hands that were keeping him from moving forward and grabbed Raf’s pants, forcing down the zipper and yanking down his slacks. Before Raf could stop him again, Fallon leaned forward and took Raf’s cock into his mouth.

Raf gasped, his fingers curling into Fallon’s hair and holding his head steady. He cursed when Fallon pushed forward, taking Raf’s cock deep in his throat. Fallon hummed, tightening his lips around Raf’s cock, sucking hard while his tongue teased the underside of Raf’s cock. 

Fallon’s short time in a whorehouse had at least taught him how to get men off fast. Though Fallon wanted to take all the time in the world sucking Raf’s cock, they had to leave soon and Fallon wasn’t going to make them late. Raf moaned, fisting Fallon’s hair as he sucked harder, drawing his head back and pushing forwards again, sucking Raf’s cock back down his throat. 

He reached up to run a thumb over the center of Raf’s balls, massaging them until Raf shuttered. Fallon continued to lick and suck Raf’s cock, tasting the precome pouring onto his tongue. He grazed his teeth over the shaft of Raf’s cock, pulling back when Raf began to come. The salty taste in his mouth sent another shot of pleasure down to Fallon’s cock.

Raf cursed again, rocking his hips while he continued to come, filling Fallon’s mouth until a small strand dripped down his chin. Fallon drank his master’s come down, releasing Raf’s cock when he shuttered. He reached up and wiped away the come sliding down his neck and looked up at Raf.

“You’re hard again,” Raf observed.

Fallon glanced down at himself, huffing when he found himself fully erect again. He wasn’t in dire need to come, so he stood up and looked up at Raf.

“You know, I can take care of that again,” Raf told him, tucking his cock back into his pants. 

Fallon grunted and rolled his eyes, moving toward the bed to dress. “We’re not going to miss this,” he replied, tugging on his boxers.

“What was the reason you came out here in the first place?” Raf asked, taking his suit jacket off the hanger and pulling it on. 

“I couldn’t get my shirt cuffs buttoned,” Fallon muttered, watching Raf pull on the midnight color jacket. “You’re still going to wear that suit aren’t you?” 

“Only if it’s going to keep making you hot and bothered,” Raf winked at him and handed Fallon his shirt.

Fallon scowled, grabbing his shirt from Raf and pulling it on. Raf chuckled and helped Fallon button his cuffs, following him into the closet to help him finish dressing. They ate a quick breakfast and waved goodbye to Hannah, promising to be back late Sunday night. 

~~~  
Fallon stared at the iron gates as they slowly opened to allow them entrance to Raf’s family home. It looked almost museum like as Raf guided the car up the long driveway. Raf had said that his father spared no expense when it came to his home, which was the same thing Raf’s father expected of his son. It was also the same thing Raf despised, which was why he kept things simple in his life.

“The house sits on two hundred acres. Enough room for the horses, trails and endless space for my father to fill with whatever makes him happy that month. I think it’s cars at the moment,” Raf said thoughtfully, pulling up to the large home he once lived in.

Fallon glanced at him, caught by the sight of Raf rolling his shoulders. The slide of his suit jacket making the movement much more arousing then it should have been. Fallon shifted his eyes back to the front of the car and shifted in his seat when his cock began to lengthen.

“We should get this over with, huh?” Raf asked, shutting off the car and popping the door. 

Fallon grunted, fiddling with his seatbelt while he tried to think of anything to stop his cock from going crazy. He got himself unbuckled and reached to open his door when Raf took his hand. He cupped Fallon’s face to look at him and smiled, his stormy eyes glancing down at Fallon’s lap.

“This is your fault,” Fallon mumbled in an accusing tone. Raf chuckled and leaned forward for a kiss, his fingers tugging at Fallon’s trousers. 

Several minutes later Raf and Fallon walked towards the back of the house, both men hastily tucking in their shirts.

“You’re late,” Cade said when they stepped around the corner. He didn’t give either a chance to answer before he wrapped Fallon up in a tight hug.

Fallon gasped in surprise. Raf hadn’t told him Cade would be here today. He was happy that he was, though. It meant Fallon had someone to go to when things got stressful. He retuned the hug, gently clutching to the back of Cade’s navy blue suit jacket. 

“I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’m so sorry I told you that Raf could set you free when he couldn’t,” Cade whispered, hugging Fallon tighter.

Fallon smiled softly and patted Cade’s back. “It’s alright, Cade, I’m not mad.”

Cade pulled back, a wide smile spread across his face. “I’m glad you’re still talking,” he whispered. Fallon gave him a small grin and Cade turned to look at Raf, his smile turning mischievous. 

“You’re late, but you’ve been siting in the driveway for almost forty-five minutes.”

“I had some things to take care of,” Raf replied vaguely.

“I’m sure you did,” Cade said slyly, turning back to Fallon. “Eden wasn’t sure you were going to come with Raf. He said it would probably be safer if you stayed home.”

“I was the one who had to force him to come,” Fallon said, gesturing to his master. 

“Him, huh?” Cade asked, glancing at Raf and raising an eyebrow. 

Raf shrugged and walked forward, glancing at the partygoers in the backyard. “They’re all here aren’t they?”

“And then some,” Cade replied. “Eden’s already had several offers for me. One man even told him I would make a great puppy, whatever that means.”

Raf grunted and looked at Fallon. “You stay close to me, alright? I don’t want anyone touching you that shouldn’t.”

Fallon nodded, following his master when he headed towards the party. Cade took Fallon’s arm, striding along next to him. “I see why you got caught in the car,” he whispered to Fallon. “He’s got sex appeal in that suit.”

Raf snorted and Fallon rolled his eyes as they entered the party and were immediately bombarded by well-dressed people. Fallon shook hands with everyone who approached him, chatting with them for a moment before moving on. 

A small woman wearing a red sheath dress strode over to them on large red heels, smiling motherly when she looked at Raf. “Rafael,” she said in a gleeful tone, “it’s good to have you home.”  
“Mother,” Raf said, giving her a quick, but loving hug.

Raf’s mother pated his cheek, turning shocking grey eyes on Fallon. “Is this him?” she asked, stepping away from Raf and moving in front of Fallon. Cade stepped away from him, smiling when Fallon glanced at him. 

“Yes, this is Fallon,” Raf replied fondly. “Fallon, this is my mother, Victoria.”

Fallon gave her a timid smile and held out his hand, which she bypassed and pulled him into a tight hug. “I was so happy when Rafael told me he was bringing you home. I don’t normally get to meet the slaves he has.”

“That’s usually because they don’t stay with me for long,” Raf told her.

Victoria made a dismissive noise and pulled back, giving Fallon a friendly smile. “Such a beautiful young man,” she said softly, patting Fallon’s cheek.

Fallon felt his cheeks darkening and he gave a small shake of his head. No wonder Raf was so compassionate. With a mother like this, anyone would be as sweet as she was.

Another partygoer whisked Victoria away, leaving Raf, Fallon, and Cade to move further into the crowd. 

“Rafael,” came a gruff call from the crowd. An older version of Raf stepped out of the parted crowd, straightening an expensive grey suit. Obviously he was Raf’s father, but the man had none of Raf or his mother’s kindness in his green eyes. “It’s about time you showed.”

“Father,” Raf replied stiffly. He held out his hand for his father and they shared a stiff handshake.

Fallon frowned at the greeting, expecting them to at least hug. What kind of parent didn’t greet their son with a hug? Cade gave Fallon’s arm a pat when he felt him shift, smiling when Fallon glanced at him.

“We expected you last night,” Raf’s father said. “Why didn’t you come?”

“I had work,” Raf replied, his tone growing cold, “and Fallon is still recovering from his surgery. I didn’t want to stress him out.”

“Yes, your slave,” Raf’s father spat, his voice cold and his eyes colder as he looked at Fallon. “Allan Gunther told me all about him.” Disapproving green eyes slid over Fallon, “I hear his breeding is poor and you took him from a whore house. Honestly Rafael, if you wanted a whore you could have at least spent good money on one.”

“Fallon is not a whore,” Raf growled, “and I don’t care about his breeding or how much he cost. He doesn’t deserve to be used like a toy and thrown away when he breaks.”

“He is your property. You use him and then buy a new one when you get bored.”

Raf’s fist clenched until his knuckles turned white and his body was stiff when he turned to look at Fallon and Cade. “Cade, can you please take Fallon to get something to eat? I’ll come find you once I’ve finished speaking to my father.”

Cade nodded, tugging Fallon’s arm until the crowd swallowed them up. Fallon glanced behind him as they headed for the buffet, watching the heated conversation between Raf and his father until they were out of sight.

“Don’t worry, Raf and his father fight all the time,” Cade told him. “It usually ends in Raf not talking to his father and his father purchasing Raf a whole bunch of crap and thinking it will make everything better.”

“It’s not fair,” Fallon grumbled, pushing himself closer to Cade. “Raf shouldn’t fight with his father. There’s no knowing how long Raf will have with his father.”

Cade paused and glanced sadly at Fallon. “I keep forgetting you lost your parents when you were young. Unfortunately not all families are happy. Even Eden’s relationship with his parents is strained. There is nothing we can do to fix it either.”

Fallon nodded, frowning hard. He wondered if Cade had even known his parents. Raf had explained that Cade was born on a farm, but he never said whether or not Cade was taken from his mother.

They reached the buffet where a tall, dark eyed man stepped in front of them. Cade stiffened next to Fallon, causing Fallon’s heart to speed up. The man reached out and took hold of Fallon’s chin, lifting his head and inspecting his face. 

“So you’re the slave Raf took from Victor,” the man grumbled, his voice low. He continued to inspect Fallon, grumbling about all his faults as he circled him. “You’ve got one hell of a defiant look,” the man said, grasping Fallon’s chin again. “If Raf ever decides to sell you, I can think of a few people who would want to see that look while they whipped you.”

“Dennis stop,” a young woman scolded, pushing through the crowd. She grabbed the man’s hand and forced him to release Fallon’s chin. “What have I told you about being nice to slaves?”

“He’s Raf’s slave, Mallery. No one cares how you treat them,” Dennis rolled his eyes.

“That’s not true and you know it,” Mallery snapped. “Honestly, is that the kind of thing you want our child to learn?” she huffed, setting her hand on her round stomach. She turned her soft brown eyes towards Fallon and gave him a motherly smile. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, I hope my husband didn’t hurt you. He’s still trying to understand that slaves are humans and not things. 

Fallon nodded and gave her a small smile. She patted his cheek and moved on to Cade, opening her arms to give him a tight hug. 

“It’s good to see you again,” Mallery whispered. “I haven’t seen your other two halves yet, I’ll have to track them down.”

“I left them by the fountain,” Cade told her when she pulled away. “How’s the baby doing?”

“He’s good,” Mallery smiled, setting her hands on her stomach. “I think his father is more of a nervous wreck then I am.”

Dennis rolled his eyes, trying to play it off as no big deal, even though Fallon could see the man hovering protectively as he surveyed their surroundings. Obviously whatever compassion the man lacked when it came to slaves, he made up for his future child. 

“Where is Rafael?” Mallery asked. 

“Dealing with his father,” Cade replied. “He asked me to take Fallon so he didn’t have to hear the horrible things Mr. Greely has to say about him.”

Mallery frowned and set a gently hand on Fallon’s shoulder, squeezing comfortingly. After a few seconds of silent comfort Dennis and Mallery moved on, leaving Cade and Fallon to fill their plates and find somewhere to sit. 

They found Jace having a heated conversation with an older gentleman and he quickly waved them to the two empty chairs at the table. Jace was arguing with the man about some sort of famous painting and the meaning behind it. The subject intrigued Fallon and he wondered if Jace could give him more information about the painting they were talking about.

Over an hour later Raf appeared with a plate of food in hand and he dragged a chair over and sat down next to Fallon. His shoulders were stiff and he spent long minutes picking at his food instead of actually eating it. 

Fallon waited quietly until the man left before reaching out and taking Raf’s hands. He squeezed Raf’s fingers and kissed his knuckles. “You need to eat,” Fallon whispered, nudging Raf’s plate of food.

Raf glanced at him, his grey eyes full of emotion. He squeezed Fallon’s hand and reached for his plate, eating for Fallon’s sake. “We have to stay for the weekend,” Raf told Fallon. “Don’t think it’s going to get better.”

“You’re mom’s at least happy to see you,” Fallon tried, his voice so soft that Raf had to lean closer to hear him. “And I’m sure deep down your father is too.”

“Not to be rude, but for someone whose been through the things you have, you’re way to optimistic,” Raf grumbled.

“Well I have to have some sort of bright side to look at,” Fallon shrugged.

“And I wasn’t enough?” Raf asked, sounding a little appalled.

“No offence,” Fallon replied, dropping his voice even lower when Eden and Lucas joined the table, “but a happy family is better then a nice master.”

Raf huffed and leaned down, kissing the back of Fallon’s ear. “Pia will be very sad when she hears you don’t think we’re a family.”

Fallon managed to keep from jerking out of his chair, but his eyes still widened and his pulse picked up. There was no way they could be a family, not when Raf owned him. They could imagine they were, but they never truly would be. 

Fallon turned his head and kissed Raf’s lips, turning back to the food on his plate. He picked up a grape and held it out to Raf, looking down at the half eaten food on his plate. Raf sighed and took the grape, popping it into his mouth.

“Your slave’s got a soft spot for you,” Lucas teased, chuckling when Raf shot him a dirty look. “I’m glad to see he’s talking.”

“Spoke to me first,” Cade said proudly.

“Because he thought he was dying,” Jace told him receiving an eye-roll from his lover.

“He only talks when he wants to,” Raf told them, squeezing Fallon’s thigh under the table. “He doesn’t talk when other people are around either.”

“I can tell with all the whispering you’ve been doing,” Lucas smiled. 

“At least he’s speaking to me,” Raf sighed, sliding his thumb over Fallon’s leg. The conversation turned to work, their lives, and whatever else they could think of and Fallon listened quietly, learning a little more about each man at the table. Cade and Jace included him in the conversation with easy yes and no questions.

Dennis and Mallery joined them an hour later and Raf nearly hurt himself when he lunged for Fallon at the mention of his meeting with Dennis. He checked Fallon over while Mallery scolded her husband about the way he treated slaves. Fallon smiled and relaxed in his chair, watching Raf interact with his friends. 

“See this,” Raf whispered later on in the evening when the group had settled together to watch the fireworks, “this is my family. It may not be the traditional family, but they love me and I would do anything for them.”

Fallon nodded, leaning against Raf’s chest. His parent’s may no longer be alive, but that didn’t mean Fallon would never find a family again. If he were lucky, Raf would be his family, along with all his new friends.


	13. Chapter 13

Fallon stared in frustration at the empty span of bed next to him. He had woken alone and had no idea where Raf had gone. Fallon rolled over and stretched out, sliding the sheets down and exposing his bare back. He propped his head on his arms and closed his eyes, grumbling about how much Raf was going to owe him. 

Less then thirty minutes later the door to the bedroom opened and Fallon opened his eyes to find Raf standing in the doorway dressed in a pair of tight breeches, tall boots and a polo shirt that clung to his chest and shoulders.

“Where have you been?” Fallon demanded, ignoring his body’s sudden interest in Raf.

“I was at the stables. I only get to ride when I come home,” Raf shrugged, causing the tight navy shirt to stretch with the movement.

“You have got to stop wearing those kinds of clothes,” Fallon groaned, shifting on the bed when his cock stirred. 

“I could say the same thing about you not wearing clothes,” Raf replied, his voice silky as he shut the door. 

“Yeah, well, you can control your dick, mine doesn’t remember that it has to listen,” Fallon growled, turning his head so he couldn’t see Raf walk across the room. The sound of a zipper was followed by a thump as Raf removed his boots, his bare feet padding the rest of the way to the bed. 

“I think you’re just using that as an excuse,” Raf whispered, his breath ghosting over Fallon’s skin as he climbed onto the bed. 

Fallon grumbled incoherently as Raf slid the sheets off his body. He pushed his ass against Raf’s hands when they cupped him, sliding his legs apart. 

Raf slid between his thighs, his cotton breeches sliding over Fallon’s skin. His lips brushed against Fallon’s back and his fingers curled around Fallon’s hips, pulling him up onto his knees. Raf pressed against Fallon’s back, pressing his hard cock against Fallon’s ass.

“Do you trust me?” Raf whispered.

Fallon tensed for a moment, wondering what Raf was going to do that made him ask that question. “I trust you at this moment,” he replied hesitantly.

“You know you can tell me to stop right?”

“Raf?” Fallon whispered, pushing against his master.

“I’m not asking because I might hurt you,” Raf said quickly. “I’m asking because I don’t want to scare you into thinking that I will hurt you.” 

“Why don’t you show me what you want to do and I’ll tell you if it’s okay or not?” Fallon suggested.

Raf nodded, sliding back down Fallon’s body and cupping his ass. Fallon gently gripped the sheets when Raf spread his cheeks and closed his eyes for whatever was to come. The first swipe of Raf’s tongue made Fallon gasp and he slid his legs wider. 

“I’m going to assume that means you don’t want me to stop,” Raf breathed, rubbing his cheek over Fallon’s ass. 

“Please don’t stop,” Fallon replied, moaning when Raf’s tongue slid into him.

~~~  
“I don’t know why you insist on keeping him, Rafael,” Mathias Greely argued while they sat in the dining room. He had been giving his son a hard time since they arrived for breakfast this morning and Fallon was getting tired of hearing it. “He’s got no breeding and the man you bought him from owns a whore house. Who knows what diseases he’s carrying. Why don’t you just buy a better slave and sell him when the time comes?”

“Fallon is completely healthy and I’m not selling him, father,” Raf growled, stabbing at the sausage he had just cut. “Fallon was forced into slavery and I’m not going to sell him to someone whose going to make him miserable. He’s happy with me and that’s how I want it to stay.”

Fallon hid his smile behind his napkin, thinking back to that morning and the things he learned Raf’s tongue could do. His smile grew when he remembered the look on Raf’s face when Fallon pulled a butt plug out of his suitcase. Raf had immediately agreed to let Fallon put it in him, finding a second plug for Fallon after rummaging through his bag.

Fallon wondered how Raf’s father would react if he knew his son let his own slave use sex toys on him. Fallon guessed the man would have a coronary at the table, which was the opposite reaction Fallon wanted the man to have. Then again, as much as Fallon wanted Raf and his father to have a good relationship, there was something about the older man that just annoyed him to no end. It was probably the fact that the man continued to state that Fallon was inbred trash that his son had taken for a good fuck.

“Forced into slavery?” Mathias asked, his interest peaking. “I remember Allan telling me that he was taken off the streets. If you ask, I’m sure Allan can make a few phone calls and you can get rid of him in no time. Then you can work on purchasing a slave with a real pedigree.”

“I’m not letting Fallon go. I enjoy having him around and as I’ve said before, I couldn’t care less about his breeding. He’s smart and extremely creative, even you would appreciate his artwork.”

Raf’s father snorted and shook his head. “Your mother would have a fit if she heard us fighting,” he said, sounding somber. “Can’t we spend the rest of the weekend in peace?”

“That depends on whether or not you keep bugging me about Fallon,” Raf replied stubbornly. 

“Fine,” Mathias growled. “I’ll keep quiet about your slave for the rest of the weekend, but we will talk about this again.”

“Fine,” Raf said, pushing away from the table and standing up. “Now if you don’t mind, Fallon and I are going to take a walk.”

Fallon stood, obediently taking Raf’s hand and following him out of the house. They walked in silence for several long minutes, Raf following a long path that had them winding away from the house. 

“I understand now why you and your father have such a strained relationship,” Fallon said quietly as they made their way down the path. “You’re both nothing alike and you don’t agree on anything.”

“We agree on a lot actually,” Raf replied, turning down another path. “We just don’t agree on specific things and that leads to a lot of arguing. I don’t know how mom puts up with him all the time.”

“She must love him very much.”

“She does,” Raf smiled, “and he treats her well.”

“Good,” Fallon smiled, looking around. “Where are we going?”

“To the horse barn,” Raf told him casually. “I want you to meet the horses.”

Fallon stopped dead, planting his feet and refusing to move. He glared up at Raf, scowling angrily. “No way are you getting me near those giant monsters.”

“They’re not monsters,” Raf huffed, tugging on Fallon’s arm. “I promise they are nothing but gentle.”

“I swear to god if I get bitten by one of them I’m never talking to you again,” Fallon grunted, letting Raf pull him along.

“Then I’ll just have to make you scream in pleasure for the rest of your life,” Raf replied, giving Fallon a wink. 

Fallon rolled his eyes, looking at the large barn they were approaching grudgingly. Two horses were playing in a small paddock near the barn and they whinnied to them when they approached. Raf called to them, but didn’t go to greet them when they came to the fence. Instead, he led Fallon into the large white barn with beautiful green trim. Inside the floors were layered with a rubber brick that Raf claimed was heated in the winter. 

The stalls were all polished wood and metal bars that looked into giant stalls where horses stood eating hay or sleeping. Some of the metal bars had been pulled down so the horses could stick their heads out, each of them watching Raf and Fallon as they walked past. Raf greeted a few of them, but he didn’t stop until they came to the last stall in the barn. A tall dark brown horse stood inside, her head down and Fallon could hear her eating something off the floor. 

Raf called to her as he opened the door and two nickers came from the stall. Fallon peaked in to find a small, wobbly legged baby standing by the larger horse, their ears perked as they stared at Raf and Fallon.

“This is Kaya, one of my best steeple chasers,” Raf explained, rubbing the horse’s head when she walked over. “And that’s Kayou, her baby boy. He’s about three months old.”

Kayou wandered over on long legs, curious at the newcomers who were visiting. His little nostrils flared when he reached Raf and he immediately began nosing everything he touched. Raf reached for Fallon’s hand, lifting it to Kayou’s dark brown neck. 

His coat was soft and puffy against Fallon’s finger. Fallon smiled as she pet the small horse, avoiding the curious little mouth that tried to nibble at his shoes. Raf convinced him to pet Kaya too, which lead to a lot of nuzzling and a few licks that made Fallon’s fingers sticky. 

“See, not dangerous,” Raf said, pushing Kayou back and shutting the stall. 

“What’s a steeple chaser?” Fallon asked, looking at the other horses in the barn. 

“It’s a type of race horse that jumps over large bushes. It can be very dangerous, so I don’t have a lot of horses that do it. Kaya was amazing at it and I’m hoping her son will be just as good. If not, he’s a thoroughbred so I can race him on a flat track also.”

“Do you make a lot of money on your racehorses?” Fallon asked, thinking back to the conversation his master had had with Lucas.

“Depends on the horse. Right now I have a two-year-old colt that’s costing me more money then he can make, but he hasn’t lost a race yet and I’m hoping he’ll be a stud horse when he retires. My filly will start racing soon and I have a feeling she’ll make me a lot of money. She likes training with the boys and she loves proving that she’s better then them.”

“What happens if she doesn’t do well?” 

“Well, depending on how bad she is I might put her in a sale or let someone claim her on the track.”

“So you’d sell her if she’s worthless to you?” Fallon whispered, letting his shoulder’s drop.

Raf noticed the change in Fallon and he cocked his head, frowning.

“I would hope that by now you’d understand that you’re not a horse and I wouldn’t sell you for any reason,” Raf took hold of Fallon’s shoulder, squeezing gently. “The horses are business, Fallon. If they don’t make me money I can’t keep them, just like if someone doesn’t do their job they need to be fired. I didn’t take you expecting you to do a job for me, Fallon, you live with me because I care about you and I want you in my life.”

“You’re going to have to keep reminding me,” Fallon replied, embarrassed that he still didn’t believe Raf. “After being a whore it’s hard to remember that I don’t have to earn my plate of food or my night in a warm bed.”

Raf sighed and pulled Fallon into his arms and kissing him softly. “You will never have to work for food or a place to sleep again.”

“I know,” Fallon whispered, pushing up onto his toes for another kiss. “You know, we’re stuck here for a few more days,” Fallon smiled softly, “what are we going to do?”

“Avoid my father and enjoy some time together,” Raf shrugged, letting Fallon go and taking his hand again. “I didn’t really plan to do anything.”

“Spontaneity can be fun,” Fallon shrugged.

Raf laughed, kissing Fallon one last time before taking his hand and leading him back to the house where they hid in a room Raf called ‘the media center.’

~~~  
Fallon escaped the dining room where several men he didn’t know sat talking about work and trying to persuade Raf to quit his job and come work with them. Raf kindly refused every offer, including the ones he received for Fallon. Apparently that cold, defiant look set a high price on his head, just like Lucas had said. Then there was Mr. Gunther, who insisted Raf let him use his in at the senator’s office to send Fallon back to the streets where he belonged so Raf could get a real slave. 

Raf both kindly and unkindly declined several times, but the man never let up, which was why Fallon was in the hallway, far away from the men who enjoyed pointing out his faults. Cade had been right, there were just some families who would never be happy together, and Raf’s family was one of them. How Victoria could live with her husband every day was a miracle. 

Fallon startled out of his thoughts when a tall man stumbled out of the dining room, wobbling as he tried not to spill his drink. His dark eyes focused on Fallon and he smirked. “I know you,” he hissed, reaching out with a surprising speed Fallon didn’t think he would have considering the amount of alcohol he had consumed. He roughly shoved Fallon against the wall and crowded against him. “I fucked you once at Victors. You’re that damn whore with the one ball and the cock that never worked.” The man leaned closer and Fallon could smell the alcohol on his breath. “You owe me a good fuck.”

Fear welled inside Fallon so fast that he gasped at the pressure in his chest. The man flipped Fallon around and pressed his chest against his back. Hands slid around Fallon’s waist, tugging his shirt out of his pants. 

Several things flew through Fallon’s mind and he told himself if he just let the man take what he wanted, he would leave without hurting him any more then he already was. Then Fallon thought about Raf and he realized that letting this man use him would only cause Raf to be disappointed in him. He would want Fallon to get away and get to Raf however he can.

The man’s hand slid below the waistline of Fallon’s jeans and Fallon reacted before he could think. His elbow came up, slamming into the man’s jaw and he spun around when the man stumbled backwards. 

“You little fuck,” the man growled, wiping blood away from the corner of his mouth and lunging for Fallon. 

Fallon reacted immediately, his fist connecting with the man’s jaw. He let out a small cry when his hand exploded in pain. The pain didn’t stop him from lashing out again when the man grabbed for him. A hand connected with Fallon’s face at the same time his fist connected with the man’s face, causing them both to cry out in pain. 

Footsteps hurried into the hallway and Fallon cringed against the wall when several people crowded around him. Hands covered Fallon’s shoulders and Fallon lashed out again, hitting the man in the face.

“Fallon,” Raf said softly.

Fallon blinked slowly and looked up at Raf, noticing the cut on Raf’s lip and the blood trickling down the corner of his mouth.

Fallon reached for the blood and Raf took his hand, wrapping Fallon up against his chest and moving him away from the group of men who were shouting at him. 

Raf pulled Fallon into their bedroom and he set Fallon on the bed, taking his hands and inspecting Fallon’s knuckles. The door to the bedroom opened and Raf spun around, his body tense. They both relaxed when Victoria shut the door, a first aid kit in her hand. 

She walked over to the bed and set the kit down, turning to her son and taking his face in her hands. 

“I can’t stay,” Raf whispered, his grey eyes filled with sorrow and pain. 

Victoria had planned a nice Sunday with her son, which Fallon had ruined in a matter of minutes. 

Victoria smiled sadly and reached for the first aid kit, pulling out a swab and dabbing Raf’s lip with it. “I don’t blame you for leaving. Your father has been nothing but horrible to you since you arrived and he doesn’t care what I say, he refuses to let up on you. I’ll take care of Fallon, you pack.”

Raf frowned and nodded, moving quickly around the room as he threw things into a suitcase. Victoria turned to Fallon, taking his hand and cleaning the cuts on his knuckles. She checked to make sure nothing was broken and then bandaged Fallon’s hand.

Fallon kept his gaze focused on the door, his mind reeling at the fact that he had hit his master. 

Gentle hands cupped his face and Fallon lifted his head and looked up into soft grey eyes. Victoria smiled sadly and pulled Fallon into a hug, kissing his forehead. “You’re a good boy, Fallon, and I’m so glad my son brought you home. We’ll have to get together soon so I can get to know you better.”

Fallon hummed and hugged the woman back, puling away when he heard the suitcase zip. Raf pulled the bag off the bed and reached for Fallon, taking his hand and giving his mother a one armed hug. 

“I’ll call you when I get home,” Raf said softly.

“I’m sorry your father ruined this weekend,” Victoria whispered, kissing her son’s cheek.

“That’s what he does,” Raf replied sadly, pulling Fallon towards the door. 

They got as far as the front door before Raf’s father stopped them. “Rafael, you’re just leaving?” he demanded angrily. “Your slave attacked one of my coworkers, he needs to be punished.”

“Your coworker tried to rape him,” Raf hissed. “It was self defense.”

“He’s a slave,” Mathias snapped. “His job is to keep his mouth shut and let better men do what they want.”

Raf tisked and pulled Fallon closer. “You make me sick. How can you treat people so horribly?”

“Slaves are not people.”

Fallon watched the muscles in Raf’s jaw jump and he gently squeezed his hand. “Good bye, father,” Raf said coldly and opened the door, leading Fallon out of the house and towards the car. The front door slammed closed and Fallon could hear Mathias yelling inside. 

Raf threw their bags into the back seat and climbed into the car, pulling out of the driveway once Fallon was seated. The ride was quiet and tense and Fallon couldn’t stop looking at the split in his master’s lip. How had he not realized it was Raf touching him? How could he lash out at the only man who actually cared for him? What the hell was wrong with him?

Raf’s grey eyes caught Fallon staring at him and he sighed and pulled off onto a small side road. He parked the car and turned off the engine. Undoing his seatbelt, Raf turned towards Fallon.   
“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked softly.

“I’m sorry I hit you,” Fallon whispered, his eyes darting to the cut on Raf’s lip. 

“You were scared and trying to protect yourself. I knew I was going to get hit when I grabbed you. I just wanted to keep you from hurting anyone else,” Raf shrugged.

“But I should have known it was you,” Fallon tried. “You touch me all the time and I should have recognized it.”

“But you didn’t because you were scared,” Raf said softly. He reached out and cupped Fallon’s face in his hand. “What set you off? A memory?”

Fallon shook his head, gripping Raf’s wrist to keep him from moving his hand. “I though about you and that you would want me to protect myself. I figured if anything I would get a few punches in before he overpowered me.”

“And then what would have happened?” Raf asked calmly.

Fallon shrugged, looking away from Raf. “I probably would have let him do it so he would just leave.”

“And suffered for it later.”

“I’m already suffering,” Fallon whispered.

Raf sighed again and ran his thumb over Fallon’s cheek. “Have you ever thought about talking to someone about what happened to you?”

“I’m talking to you.”

Raf shook his head, smiling softly. “Doctor Enges recommended that I take you to a therapist when I first took you. He said it would help get you to talk and that it would also help you work through the trauma of being taken a slave.”

“Oh,” Fallon said, stroking Raf’s wrist. “I really never thought about it. I don’t think I would be able to talk to a therapist.”

“I knew talking to a stranger for a long period of time would be hard for you, which is why I asked my therapist to speak to you. He worked with slaves during his residency.”

“You see a therapist?” Fallon asked, looking back up into Raf’s eyes.

“I grew up with a father who wanted nothing but perfection from me since the day I was born. If you don’t think that messes someone up, well…” Raf gave another shrug. “He told me he started off with slaves and he’s worked with several who either didn’t, or couldn’t talk. He’s willing to talk to you whenever your ready.”

“I’m not sure it’ll help.”

“You won’t know unless you try,” Raf smiled. “I’m not going to force you, but after what happened tonight, I think it’s a good idea.”

Fallon nodded, twining his fingers with Raf’s. “I’m willing to try.” Raf nodded and leaned forward, stealing a quick kiss. Fallon’s fingers snaked into Raf’s hair and he gripped his head to keep him from moving away. “This by no means means you can stop touching me,” he growled against Raf’s lips.

Raf laughed and kissed Fallon again. “I understand,” he answered, reaching out to start the car.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been trying to get this chapter up for forever and I kept getting sidetracked. I'm working pretty steadily at this story so hopefully I can get it finished in the next few months.

Fallon sat at the kitchen table, staring into the living room where his master sat. Raf had a book in his hand and he was happily relaxing on the couch with Pia curled up in his lap. Raf had finally calmed down from last weeks visit with his family and they were slowly falling back into their routine. 

Fallon had visited Raf’s therapist on Friday and he was surprised to find that his time as a slave before Raf had affected him more then he had thought. He was now on a new medication to help Fallon with what the therapist had called selective mutism and the anxiety that caused it. Raf also helped too, encouraging Fallon to talk instead of hide himself like he had been doing.

“Fallon!” Calvin snapped his fingers in front of Fallon’s face. Fallon blinked and looked up at him, blinking again when he saw the frown on Calvin’s face. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said for the last ten minutes have you?”

Fallon glanced at the clock, surprised to find so much time had passed and glanced back at Calvin. He shook his head, glancing down at the notebook he was supposed to be taking notes in. Instead there were doodles and scribbles all over the page. “Sorry,” he whispered. 

“Are you not listening because you’re bored, or are you not listening because Raf is a distraction?” Calvin asked, setting his hands flat on the table. 

Raf glanced up when he heard his name, his grey eyes focused on Fallon. “Maybe a little of both,” Fallon admitted. Calvin was trying to teach him something about math and his brain wasn’t having any of it. In fact, all his brain wanted to do was crawl into Raf’s lap and cuddle with him. 

“I know math isn’t your favorite subject, but I want you to try to work on it,” Calvin said, moving closer to Fallon. “As for Raf, we’ll have to lock him in his bedroom until we’re finished.”  
“No one wants to listen to you drone on about algebra,” Raf shot back, looking back down at his book. “Except maybe Cade.”

“Cade never had a problem separating class time and Eden time,” Calvin shot back.

“That’s probably because Eden doesn’t exude sex appeal like I do,” Raf replied haughtily. 

“Well that’s gross,” Calvin muttered, rolling his eyes. “Alright, since the two of you can’t sit in the same room without coming in your pants I guess I’ll just go.” He set a book on the table and tapped it as he slid it towards Fallon. “I expect the first ten chapters read before I come back on Monday and I want you to attempt those math problems too. Also,” Calvin said a little louder when Fallon started packing up his books. “I want you to find three things that are important to you and I want you to draw them.”

Fallon nodded, piling his books up and carrying them into Raf’s room. He set them on the dresser and hurried back to the living room. Calvin and Raf were sitting together on the couch talking about their jobs in typical adult fashion. Fallon scooped Pia up into his arms and crawled into Raf’s lap, sliding his fingers over her soft fur. Pia began to purr, contempt in Fallon’s arms. 

“How were your lessons?” Raf asked Fallon, sounding like he already knew the answer. 

Fallon avoided the question with a shrug and set his head on Raf’s shoulder. Calvin chuckled beside them and pushed off the couch.

“I’ve got two more kids and then I can head home,” Calvin sighed, stretching his arms over his head.

“How are the wedding plans going?” Raf asked, taking Pia from Fallon and setting her on the couch. Once she was free she shot off the furniture and careened into the kitchen, hopping onto a chair and launching herself across the room, missing the barstool by several inches. She hit the floor and skittering around the counter, out of sight. Raf snorted at her antics and shook his head.   
“She’s crazy,” Calvin chuckled. “The wedding plans aren’t going as well as we hoped. Too many opinions being thrown around for us to make a decision.”

“It’ll all work out,” Raf reassured.

“I hope it does soon,” Calvin grunted. He gave Fallon a pointed look, “I’ll see you Monday. Make sure you get your homework done.”

Fallon huffed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. Calvin grunted and headed towards the door, narrowly avoiding a collision with Pia as she ran a lap around the house. Fallon laughed at the tiny fluff ball as she flew past them and back into the bedroom where he knew she would climb the bed and fall asleep.

Fallon crawled off Raf’s lap and turned around, straddling his thighs and taking his face in his hands. Raf smiled at him, tilting his head up when Fallon leaned down for a kiss. Raf hummed, sliding his arms around Fallon’s waist and cupping his ass. 

“I’ve been thinking,” Raf murmured against Fallon’s lips, “about the big room upstairs.”

Fallon pulled back and looked down into Raf’s stormy eyes. “What about it?”

“Well, most of the crap that’s in there is just junk that can either be thrown out or donated and the rest we could move to the attic. I figured since I really don’t have a need for that room we could convert it into a studio. For you”

Fallon’s eyes widened and he slid his fingers through Raf’s hair. “You would do that?”

“Of course I would,” Raf said softly. “We could get you more supplies and there is so much space for you to work with up there. We could go upstairs and get started right now if you want.”

Fallon shook his head and kissed Raf’s lips again. “We can do that later, right now, there is another room I want to spend some time in.”

Raf chuckled when Fallon crawled off his lap and pulled him to his feet. Since Hannah wasn’t there, Fallon began stripping as he made his way towards the bedroom. Raf followed suit and they were both naked by the time they reached the bed. Pia had climbed on top of the dresser where Raf had left a piled of clothes and that’s where she had decided to nap, which meant they wouldn’t have to kick her out of bed. 

Raf pushed Fallon onto the bed, pushing him onto his back and kissing him messily. Fallon wrapped his legs around Raf’s waist, squeezing him with his knees. He pushed his tongue into Raf's mouth, moaning softly when Raf pressed against him. Hands bumped together as they groped and clutched at each other. Fallon’s fingers buried themselves into Raf’s red hair and he gripped him tight and pulled his head back so he could nip at Raf’s lower lip. Raf growled and dove back in for another kiss. 

“So what do I have to do to convince you to let me have a dog?” Fallon asked when they parted again.

“I just gave you a studio, now you want a dog?” Raf laughed, kissing Fallon’s neck. “What kind of dog?”

“A Saint Bernard,” Fallon replied immediately. Raf pushed up and looked down at Fallon in disbelief, smiling when Fallon started laughing. “Actually, I’ve always wanted a Corgi.”

“Corgi, really?” Raf said in surprise. 

“I think they’re cute with their tiny legs and big ears,” Fallon giggled. “But if I could have any dog in the world, it would be a Bernese Mountain Dog. My neighbor had one when I was little and it was the sweetest dog.”

“Will you be happy if I tell you I’ll think about it?” Fallon grinned and nodded, pulling Raf down for another kiss. 

When Raf pulled back again it was with a hard growl as he jerked open the bedside table drawer. Fallon rolled over and crawled towards the center of the bed, pausing when Raf’s fingers brushed over his thigh. He hummed and lowered himself onto his forearms, sliding up onto his knees and spreading them wide. The bed shifted when Raf came up behind him and he set one hand on Fallon’s ass, pressing his lips to his other ass cheek. Fallon groaned when Raf’s tongue gave a teasing swipe before moving up his spine. Raf’s tongue made way for his lips and Raf kissed over Fallon’s shoulders and up the back of his neck. Raf laid his body out over Fallon’s his hardening cock tucking itself right between Fallon’s ass cheeks.

Raf’s hand made its way between Fallon’s thighs to cup his testicle and stroke the base of Fallon’s cock. Fallon moaned, rolling his hips and pressing against Raf’s cock. He badly wanted to fee Raf inside of him, but was too afraid to ask. Too afraid that it would bring up memories he didn’t want to remember. Raf hummed, sliding back down Fallon’s body until he was cupping his ass again.

The next swipe of his tongue was far from teasing as it plunged into Fallon, teasing the twitching ring of muscles. Fallon moaned, fisting the sheets in his hands when Raf moved lower and sucked his lone testicle in his mouth. Raf glided his tongue over the abused skin while his thumb teased Fallon’s entrance, pressing against the muscles, but never entering him. 

“I never thought you would be willing to let me do this,” Raf whispered as he grabbed the bottle of lube.

“I never thought I would find someone who actually cared for me as much as you do.” Fallon gasped when Raf pushed two fingers into him. Instead of going slow like he normally did to build the pleasure, he quickly worked Fallon open and withdrew his fingers before it started to feel good.

“Do you still trust me?” Raf whispered, leaning over Fallon to kiss his cheek.

“Yes,” Fallon whispered. Though his usual answer was ‘I do now,’ Fallon had learned over the last week that he trusted his master completely.

“Good, now take a deep breath.”

Fallon did as he was told, feeling himself calm when Raf covered him with his body. His slow breath came out in a rush when the head of Raf’s cock pressed against him. With one slow thrust Raf entered Fallon, sliding slowly forward. 

“Well, that was unexpected,” Fallon grunted, shifting to make the slide of Raf’s cock easier.

Raf froze and cursed colorfully.

“Language,” Fallon said in the same tone Raf used to scold Fallon when he cursed. 

“God I’m so sorry,” Raf whispered, pushing away from Fallon’s body.

Fallon grunted when he felt Raf try to pull out and he reached behind clutching at Raf’s hip, holding him still when he tried to pull out.

“Fallon,”Raf whispered when Fallon pushed back.

“Don’t you dare pull out,” Fallon huffed. He tugged at Raf’s hip. “Keep going.”

“God I can’t believe I’m so stupid,” Raf breathed. “All I wanted to do was rub against you. I-I didn’t want.”

“It’s okay,” Fallon soothed, pushing back again. “Don’t stop.”

Raf let out a heavy breath and rolled his hips and sinking several inched deeper into Fallon. He rocked his hips a few more times, pushing slowly into Fallon until he had buried himself completely. Raf covered Fallon again and wrapped his arms around Fallon, holding him against his chest. “Are you alright?” Raf whispered. 

“I’m good,” Fallon breathed, letting himself feel every inch of Raf’s skin touching his own. “You just surprised me.”

“Spur of the moment,” Raf huffed. “God I’m so sorry. I had planned on talking to you about it before I even tried to get this far.”

“I probably would have told you no if you had asked me, even though I’ve been thinking about it.”

“All the more reason for me to have a little more self control.”

“I think we’ve been using too much self control,” Fallon hummed, squeezing Raf’s cock. He smiled when he heard Raf’s sharp intake of breath. 

“I should probably pull out so you can roll over,” Raf whispered, releasing Fallon. 

“No,” Fallon said quickly, pushing back when Raf moved. “Don’t you dare stop fucking me.”

A hard slap on his ass made him yelp and tense around the thick cock inside him. “Language,” Raf huffed, rolling his hips shifting his cock inside Fallon. 

“Why do I get punished for cursing but it’s okay for you to do it?” Fallon scowled.

“Because, that’s why,” Raf replied haughtily, leaning down to nuzzle Fallon’s cheek to ease his words. “Can I move?” he breathed, kissing Fallon’s shoulder.

Fallon took another deep breath and nodded, clutching at the sheets. Raf rolled his hips, pulling back slowly and pushing in again. A whimper escaped Fallon’s lips when Raf filled him again. The slow slide was wonderful on Fallon’s abused skin. Sex had always been fast and hard, even before he had been taken as a slave. Fallon was always on the move and slow and gentle was never an option for him. 

Soft kissed trailed across his shoulder as Raf pushed into him, drawing out a moan from Fallon. Fallon reached up and covered Raf’s hand with his own, lacing their fingers together against his chest. He cursed when Raf shifted, the head of his cock barely brushing against his prostate. This time Raf didn’t reprimand him, instead he pushed in harder, making Fallon curse again.

“Raf,” Fallon moaned, pushing back against Raf. “More, please.”

Raf hummed, nipping at Fallon’s shoulder and pushing in harder. Fallon gasped, clutching around Raf’s cock when he pulled out again. Raf used his knee to push Fallon’s legs wider and he pushed up, taking Fallon with him and holding him to his chest when he thrust in again.

Fallon whimpered, letting his head fall back onto Raf’s shoulder. He gripped Raf’s hip when he thrust in again, hitting his prostate. Their thighs brushed together when they moved together, causing Fallon’s sensitive skin to tremble. Raf slid their linked hands down Fallon’s body. Unlacing their fingers when they reached Fallon’s cock. Raf dragged his teeth over Fallon’s shoulder and wrapped his long fingers around the shaft of Fallon’s cock. 

Fallon whined loudly, turning his head, seeking a kiss. Their mouths converged in a slow kiss, building into something heated, just like Raf’s thrusts. As their tongues slid together Fallon lost his tenuous hold on his control.

He cried into Raf’s mouth, tightening around him as he came. Raf grunted, his thrust never slowing as he made Fallon’s climax stronger. Fallon could feel his come sliding down Raf’s fingers and over his testicle to drip onto the bed. He arched backwards, pushing his cock into Raf’s slick hands as he clutched at the back of Raf’s neck, refusing to part from the kiss. He squeezed around Raf’s cock wanting to feel his master fill him.

Raf bucked into him, still hitting Fallon’s prostate and drawing out more strands of come. “So damn beautiful,” Raf whispered, sliding his hand up Fallon’s chest, leaving a trail of come behind.  
“Raf,” Fallon whispered, pushing back against Raf’s cock. “Please.”

Raf nodded, nipping at Fallon’s neck before biting down hard. Fallon moaned at the pain, gasping when Raf bucked hard into him. His next thrust was just as rough and he bit down again before releasing the tender skin of Fallon’s neck. His lips curled over the spot he had bitten and he sucked hard, marking Fallon as his own as he thrust into him. Fallon tilted his head further, accepting the mark as something he wanted, something he would wear happily.

With one last hard thrust, Raf shuddered, his cock pulsing as hot come spilled from the tip. Fallon’s eyes slid closed at the searing heat that filled him. He clutched around Raf every time he pulled out and opened up for him, accepting his cock and the come erupting from it. Raf shuttered again, sliding slowly into Fallon as his orgasm ended. He pushed deep into Fallon one last time, staying seated inside him as the last few pulses of come erupted from his cock. 

Fallon’s eyes stayed closed as he felt Raf’s come slowly dripped out of him. Raf’s breath ghosted against his ear and he pulled back, his cock sliding out of Fallon’s body. Fallon leaned forward, sliding down onto his stomach onto the bed. He groaned when Raf’s come shifted inside him, slipping out and dripping off his balls. Raf laid down next to him, rolling onto his side and setting a hand on Fallon’s back.

“Are you alright?” he whispered, scooting forward and kissing Fallon’s lips.

“More then alright,” Fallon hummed, nuzzling Raf’s chin. “I’m really happy you did this.”

“I am too, even though I still wish I had talked to you about it,” Raf replied sincerely.

“You know I would have stopped you if I wasn’t ready.”

Raf nodded, sliding his hand around Fallon’s back and pulling him to his chest. “This wasn’t on my plan for today,” Raf chuckled. “We’ve got a few things to do today and I wanted to get going as soon as you were done with your lessons.”

“Sorry, guess next time I’ll keep my sexual needs to myself,” Fallon teased, tilting his head up and kissing Raf’s lips. 

“Don’t you ever keep those to yourself,” Raf scolded playfully. He rolled off the bed and grabbed a towel, tossing it at Fallon. “Let’s go take a quick shower, beau.”

“Why do you call me that?” Fallon asked, wiping off his stomach as he climbed off the bed. He paused when a line of come slipped down his inner thigh and he smiled.

Raf had paused at the corner and had turned to watch him, his grey eyes obviously following the line of come. He managed to pull his eyes back up to Fallon’s face and he cocked his head. “Call you what?” 

“Beau? It’s not really appropriate don’t you think?”

“It’s short for beautiful,” Raf said softly. “And you’re crazy if you don’t think you’re beautiful.”

Fallon walked forward until he was chest to chest with Raf and stared up at him. “Well you’re the first one to think I’m beautiful, but asides from that, that wasn’t what I thought you meant when you said it.”

“I know it has another meaning, but I started saying beau when I was younger because I couldn’t pronounce beautiful. It just stuck all these years later.” Raf reached out and slid a hand through Fallon’s hair. “And of course you’re beautiful, any man who didn’t see that must have been blind.”

Fallon bit his lip at the cheesy line and he snorted. Raf winked and took his hand, leading him to the bathroom.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had a few people asking about some of my other stories I had on AFF, so I figured I'd post this here. I decided to remove all my stories from AFF because I have a few readers who continue to threaten me about my stories. It started when I posted Heart String and then slowed down until I posted In Love With a Stud where it got worse and didn't stop.
> 
> It slowed down again after I left AFF, but they started up on my Facebook page, which I had to take down because of them. They didn't follow me over here so hopefully I get left alone. 
> 
> Normally I wouldn't care, but because I've been trying to get published, I'm trying to avoid things like this because I don't want a few bad readers to affect my hopefully future writing career. Yes, that might sound selfish, but I'm doing what I think is right.
> 
> I'm planning on posting the stories here, but there are a few I won't post in hopes that one I work on edits and what not, I can submit them for publishing. 
> 
> So that's my spiel, I'm almost done with this story and I'm hoping I can keep posting weekly until it's done.

Fallon rolled out of bed when Raf slapped the alarm clock and stretched his arms over his head. He moaned when a trail of come made its way down his thigh. The bed behind him creaked and a soft towel slid over his knee, catching the come on his thigh. 

“You’re making a mess,” Raf whispered, using the towel he hung over the footboard to clean Fallon up.

“It’s your mess,” Fallon accused, stepping way from curious fingers and heading towards the bathroom. They hadn’t stopped touching each other since Friday and Fallon enjoyed feeling Raf still inside him the morning after. Raf had spent the weekend reminding Fallon how much fun sex could be. 

Fallon turned on the shower as he brushed his teeth, letting the water warm while he waited for his master. Once they had washed and dressed, they headed out to the city. Raf began to tense when they pulled into the parking garage, something he had been doing since their trip to Raf’s home. Raf said it was nothing whenever Fallon asked, but Fallon knew that his job had been getting to him and that Raf hated dealing with the men and women that stepped into his office to bitch about who would take custody of the humans they owned. 

“Why don’t you quit if you hate your job so much?” Fallon asked when Raf pulled into Eden’s guest parking spot. 

“Because I’m still considered a new grad and I don’t have enough experience or enough clients under by belt that would follow me if I left,” Raf replied, his voice tense. He turned to look at Fallon. “We all have to do things we don’t want, this is my thing.”

“I don’t think you give yourself enough credit,” Fallon said softly. “You’re a good man and people really like you. I think you could start your own firm and people would follow you. You could even choose who to help and who not to help.”

“I’ve thought about it many times.” Raf smiled and leaned forward, kissing Fallon’s lips. “But I have to stay till the first of the year,” Raf whispered. “After that, you can bring this conversation up again and we’ll go from there.”

“Alright,” Fallon smiled, stealing one last kiss before sliding out of the car. 

They headed up the elevator, stopping outside Eden’s door when they hear a small cry on the other side. Raf and Fallon shared a look, listening for some other noise. When the silence stretched on, Raf shrugged and grabbed the doorknob, pushing the door open. 

Fallon was first into the apartment and he gasped when he found Cade kneeling on the couch, Eden behind him doing the same thing Raf had done to Fallon the night before.

Eden’s head snapped up when the door swung open, his blue eyes widening. His movements stuttered to a halt and he opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. Cade, oblivious to his sudden audience, begged Eden not to stop and reached behind him, brushing his fingers over Eden’s stomach. 

“You’re early,” Eden said, his voice husky and low.

“It’s nine thirty,” Raf said blandly.

Eden glanced at the clock, cocking his head in surprise. “Well, I guess it’s later then I thought.” He shrugged, running his hand over Cade’s back to sooth him.

Fallon snorted and Raf glanced down at him. Raf’s face morphed into an offended look and he reached out for Fallon, covering his eyes with his hand. “This is not something Fallon needs to see,” he sapped in mock anger. “He sits on that couch.”

Fallon grunted and grabbed Raf’s hand, peaking over his fingers. It’s not like he could really see anything, the couch was in the way. 

“Don’t worry, Jace will keep it clean,” Eden smirked, his head tilting downwards when someone made a grunting noise. Apparently Jace was either on his knees or underneath Cade and Eden doing what Fallon assumed was debauched things to Cade who was writhing against Eden trying to get him to move again.

Raf huffed and pulled Fallon back out the door. “I’m just going to take Fallon to work with me. I’ll bring him back at lunch when you’re done defacing the couch.” Raf shut the door on a loud moan from Cade and shook his head, smiling and chuckling softly. “Those three surprise me some times. They usually act like an old married couple and then you walk in on them fucking like animals on the couch.”

“Everyone needs to have a little excitement in their life,” Fallon smirked, kissing Raf when they stepped into the elevator. “Does going to work with you mean I have to sit in the waiting room all morning?”

“No,” Raf shook his head. “You can sit in my office with me, I’ll just have to put you to work.”

“Work like?” Fallon hedged. 

“Filing, taking messages, getting coffee,” Raf teased. “If you do a good job I might even reward you.”

“Reward me,” Fallon’s smile grew. “Sex on your desk sounds like fun.”

“It does, too bad there is a large window that will give everyone else in the office a perfect view of your naked ass propped up on my desk.”

Fallon snorted and shook his head. He might have to convince Raf to get a desk for the house. Somewhere where Raf could pretend to do work so Fallon could distract him by shoving papers off the polished wood and undressing on top of it. The image made Fallon blush, and he turned his head so Raf couldn’t see his face when they pulled into the parking garage. 

They were bombarded when they stepped into the firm’s office, the other lawyers asking questions and demanding answers about cases Raf had been working on. He answered questions as he shuffled Fallon down the hall and into his office. Raf shut the door after answering one last question and sighed. Again Fallon wondered why Raf couldn’t just quit and find somewhere better to work. 

Fallon pulled a chair to the side or Raf’s desk and took a seat, glancing around the room. Raf hadn’t lied about the large window that overlooked the hallway that led to the other offices. Raf’s mahogany desk took up most of the office, equipped with a computer, pictures of Raf’s family and friends. A small bookshelf was filled with law books and small nicknacks and Fallon slowly read through the titles. 

When Fallon was done inspecting the room, he offered to help Raf. Raf welcomed the help, instructing Fallon on how to file folders in his filling cabinet. 

A knock on Raf’s door halted the kiss Cade was going to steal when his master handed him a stack of folders, making Fallon scowl. Raf grunted and stood, buttoning his suit jacket. Fallon could see his master forcing himself not to scowl when he answered the door and Fallon leaned forward to see who it was. 

Allan Gunther stood in the doorway, his face set in stone as he looked up at Raf. “Good morning, Rafael,” he said in a rough tone. “My bitch of a wife decided to take my slaves out of the country without my damn permission. We need to do something.”

“I’ll call her lawyer,” Raf nodded, moving away from the door and letting Mr. Gunther in. He told Fallon to keep working while Raf dealt with the bitter old man.

“Finally putting your slave to good use?” Mr. Gunther smirked. “Your father and I have been pushing the paperwork to send him back to the streets. It’s a shame they took his freedom isn’t it.” Mr. Gunther spoke in a tone of sorrow, but Fallon could tell the man wasn’t really unhappy. 

Raf turned to look at the man, anger flaring in his stormy eyes. “I have already told my father not to pursue Fallon’s freedom. He won’t be safe on the streets again.”

“Oh please, Rafael, you’re always one to do something right. Why not give this poor boy his freedom back?”

Raf pursed his lips and crossed his arms over his chest. “Because he is mine and I won’t let him,” he growled. “Now I’m telling you this for the last time, do not proceed with the paperwork.”

“Are you threatening me, Rafael?” Mr. Gunther asked cooly. “Because that sounds like a threat to me and I don’t think Howard would like hearing about one of his lawyers was threatening one of his best clients.”

Fallon saw Raf’s gut clenched. “I’m sorry, sir,” Raf replied tensely. “Please forgive me, I did not mean to make a threat. Please, have a seat and I’ll call your wife’s lawyer so we can get this settled?” Raf took a seat, glancing apologetically towards Fallon as he reached for the phone.

~~~  
“I’m sorry for what I said this morning,” Raf whispered when they were safely in the elevator and headed up to Eden’s apartment. 

Mr. Gunther had taken up almost two hours of Raf’s morning, forcing him to reschedule several meetings and scramble to fit everyone in. The meeting with Mr. Gunther had left Raf in a foul mood and no matter what Fallon did, he couldn’t get his master to smile. 

“You want to keep me as your slave so you can protect me,” Fallon replied, shrugging. “You’ve said that before and I accept it. I’m not mad because you said it, I’m happy.” 

Raf glanced at Fallon for a moment and then turned to face him. Fallon took his hand and smiled softly at him. “I won’t survive on the streets,” Fallon told him softly. “I knew I would die there before and if I’m forced to go back, I’ll never survive.”

“I would never forgive myself if I lost you because my father doesn’t believe you deserve me,” Raf leaned forward and kissed Fallon gently. “I’ll do everything in my power to keep you with me.”

“Good,” Fallon whispered, kissing Raf again. 

Cade met them at the door of the apartment, throwing his arms around Fallon and holding him tight. Fallon surprised himself by letting out a laugh and returned the hug. 

“Glad to see the three of you are dressed this time,” Raf grunted, a small smile turning up the corners of his lips. 

“And none of us are sorry for what you saw,” Cade told him cockily. Cade pulled back and took Fallon’s face in his hands, his cocky smile turning mischievous. “Looks like I’m not the only one who got a little lovin’ this morning. You finally let Raf do naughty things to your body didn’t you?”

Fallon flushed and scowled at Cade when he laughed. “That’s not something you say to someone you haven’t seen all weekend,” Fallon scolded. 

“It is when they look a lot happier because of it.” Cade’s smile grew and he leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “Did Raf let you do naughty things to his body too.”

“Cade,” Raf huffed.

“What? Lucas said you liked it,” Cade shrugged.

“Lucas better be careful of I’ll let slip some of his secrets,” Raf grunted.

“I’m pretty sure Cade knows most of my secrets,” Lucas replied, stepping out of the hallway, his dark hair wet. 

“What are you doing here? Have you been here all weekend?” Raf asked, sounding a little hurt.

“Just since last night. It was a spur of the moment visit,” Lucas shrugged. “Thankfully, I was still asleep when the three dirty bunnies were fucking on the couch.”

“Says the man who came to fuck our boyfriend,” Cade grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Fallon smiled softly, wrapping his arms around his friend’s neck. Cade pouted, leaning into the comfort even thought they both knew he didn’t need it. Cade knew Jace would never leave them, he just enjoyed putting on a show for the sake of it. Eden rolled his eyes when he stepped out of the hallway, pulling on his suit jacket. Jace was no where to be found and considering Lucas had just showered, Fallon assumed Jace was probably laying in the guest bed sleeping off his orgasm. 

After quick words and several kisses to Cade and Fallon, Eden and Raf back to their jobs, and Lucas headed out to visit a few companies who were looking to invest in a new software Lucas was working on. When Jace finally appeared out of the back of the apartment, Cade teased him about his hot night with Lucas and Jace taunted that he had three more hot nights with Lucas, which made Cade roll his eyes. 

“Still the oddest couple I’ve ever met,” Fallon commented,one they had settled in the living room. He had pulled out his sketchbook and had been working on a picture of Jace. The man had the most interesting eyes. On the surface they were blank, showing hardly any emotions, but when Fallon really looked into them, he saw a world of emotion. Fallon tried to capture it every time he drew the man, but he never could manage to put all the emotion he saw into one drawing. So he continued to challenge himself, working whenever he could on Jace’s eyes. 

“But we’re the cutest,” Cade sing-songed beside Fallon. 

“Yeah, freaking adorable,” Fallon muttered. 

Cade giggled happily and leaned against Fallon, bumping his shoulder and nearly adding an extra few inches of lip to Jace’s right side. “You’re always drawing one of us when you visit,” Cade said, his eyes tracking the movement of Fallon’s pencil. “You could probably sell those and make thousands.”

“One day, maybe,” Calvin called, shutting the door to the apartment. “But for now, he’s got math homework to hand in and you two have oral reports on two important scientist to give.”

Fallon scowled and Cade and Jace groaned as the all converged at the table for their lessons.


	16. Chapter 16

Fallon carded his finger through Raf’s hair as they lounged on the couch. He didn’t know how they had managed it, but they had ended up nearly naked with Raf’s head in Fallon’s lap and Pia stretched out across Raf’s back. Raf had been exhausted after another long day at work and he practically dragged Fallon to the couch and snuggled with him when they got home. Thankfully, they had one more day before the weekend and then they could spend all their time in bed lounging around. Then again, if they were in bed, Fallon was pretty sure the last thing they would be doing was lounging.

“Can you just imagine a dog laying next to the couch, asleep while you pet him,” Fallon whispered, snickering when Raf grunted.

“You’re tiny monster is enough,” He mumbled, shifting so Pia gave a low mewl of protest. 

She stretched out and stood, climbing up Raf’s head and plopping down on his face so Fallon had to pet her instead of his master. Fallon happily gave his growing kitten the love she deserved, laughing at the muffled curses that came from Raf. 

“She just climbs all over you because she loves you,” Fallon told Raf as he picked Pia up and set her on his shoulder. She immediately burrowed between his neck and the couch, stretching out on both Fallon’s shoulders.

“She climbs all over me because she knows I won’t kick her out,” Raf huffed, sitting up. He slid forward, pressing a kiss to Fallon’s lips. “You’re not going to give up on the dog are you.”

“I don’t know,” Fallon said thoughtfully. “Maybe if you give me a really good consolation prize I might give up on the idea for a little while.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to come up with a few good consolation prized to keep your mind off it.” Ref smiled and leaned forward for another kiss.

Unfortunately the doorbell interrupted him and Raf pulled away with an annoyed grunt. He ran his hands through his messy red hair and went to answer the door. Raf’s entire body stiffened when he opened the door and Fallon could see two men in suits standing there looking official.

“Mister Rafael Greely?” One of the men asked. Raf nodded and the man continued. “My name is Charlie and this is my partner Ian. We’re from the office of slavery. We received an application for you slave,” he paused to read the paper in his hand, “Fallon.” 

“An application?” Raf asked and Fallon pushed to his feet.

“Apparently he was abducted into slavery,” Charlie replied. “We received and application to review his enslavement and we found that his civil rights as a free man were violated when he was forced into slavery. We’re here to take him in and return him back into the free world.”

Fallon closed his eyes and took a deep breath to calm himself, but he couldn’t stop the tremble in his hand. He should have known Mr. Gunther wouldn’t stop when Raf asked him to.

“Okay,” Raf said in a quiet, shaky voice. “Can I take him to the bedroom to get him dressed?” Raf asked, motioning to Fallon.

Ian leaned forward to look at Fallon, his dark eyes looking him over before nodding. “You’ve got ten minutes,” he replied in a gruff tone. “We’ve got a busy schedule.”

Raf nodded again and invited the men in, shutting the door and offering them a seat. He strode quickly over to Fallon, took his hand and pulled him into the bedroom, Raf shut the door and began pacing back and forth, rubbing his face in his hand and cursing heavily. “This can’t be happening,” he growled. “How could I have been so stupid to think that he would stop when I asked him? I should have kept up on it.”

Unable to say anything, Fallon moved to his dresser and pulled out a cleaned pair of jeans. There was no getting out of this, those men knew Fallon was here and Raf would be in a world of trouble if he tried to hide him. He yanked on a shirt and went to Raf, who was still pacing and cursing at the two men waiting in the living room. 

“Raf,” he said softly. Raf stopped and turned to look at Fallon. Pain filled Fallon’s chest and he fought not to panic as he looked up into his master’s horror filled eyes. “I don’t know what to do,” Fallon said weakly.

Raf’s stormy grey eyes filled with tears and he reached for Fallon’s face. “I-I can’t save you,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Fallon hushed him with a kiss, sliding his fingers gently through Raf’s hair. His own eyes were filling with tears and he fought to keep them from spilling down his face. 

“I’m going to try to find a way to get you back,” Raf said determinedly. He kissed Fallon again and disappeared into the closet. He came back with a heavy jacket and held it out for Fallon. “I know it’s August, but you’re going to need something warm for the winter.”

“Thank you,” Fallon replied, his tone slightly flat. He knew Raf was still trying to take care of him, even though they had both given up.

A bang on the door and a shout that they needed to leave caused more tears spill down Raf’s cheeks. He pulled Fallon in for one last kiss and hugged him tight. 

“There’s money in the seam,” Raf whispered in Fallon’s ear. “It’s not enough but it’ll help you get on your feet.”

Someone banged on the door again and Raf took Fallon’s face in his hands again.

“I love you,” Raf whispered. “I should have told you when I first realized it, but didn’t want to scare you with the words, and I thought we would have forever for me to say it.”

Fallon held his breath, letting the emotion of those words fill him. He wanted to say it back, prepared himself to say it. But just as he opened his mouth the door flung open, the two men scowling in the doorway. Fallon moved behind Raf and grabbed his shoes and slipping them on. He moved back to Raf and tok his hand. Ian’s dark eyes flashed with annoyance and he reached out and grabbed Fallon’s arm.

“We’ll make sure he’s safe,” Ian assured in a cold tone.

Raf took a shaky breath and nodded, following them to the front door as Ian pulled Fallon outside. Fallon turned his head and watched him, wishing he could have told Raf he loved him. He was pulled out of the house and shoved into the back of a car. When Ian moved away, Fallon tried the door, but the child lock was on and he couldn’t get out. Raf watched him through the car window until the two men got in the car and drove away. 

Fallon turned and slumped in his seat, pulling his legs up as he stared ahead, seeing nothing. Why did they have to take him away from the man he loved? Why couldn’t he just be happy for once in his life?

Several miles away from Raf’s house, the two men pulled over and got out of the car. Charlie wrenched the door open and dragged Fallon out. “Take your clothes off,” he commanded, while Ian leaned against the trunk. 

“You heard him,” Ian said, sliding his suit jacket back and tapping the holster where his gun sat. “Take your clothes off.”

Fallon glanced down at the gun, fear seizing him for a moment. When he got his limbs moving again he pulled off the jacket and set it on the trunk. He pulled off his shirt, handing it to the man leaning against the trunk. Ian inspected it, grunting as he tossed it on the trunk. Fallon pulled off his shoes, hanging them to Charlie.

The man extracted a knife from his pocket and pulled it open. He cut the sole out of the shoe, tearing it out and inspecting the inside. When he didn’t find anything he began slicing at the side of the shoe, cutting it open and inspecting the lining. Charlie grabbed the second shoe and began cutting it open as Fallon pulled off his pants. “Nothing,” Charlie growled.

Ian grabbed the jacket Fallon had been wearing and held it up. “It’s a little warm for such a heavy jacket don’t you think?”

Charlie smirked and grabbed the coat. He pushed the knife into the seam and sliced it open. Hundred and fifty dollar bills fluttered out and both men laughed happily. They shredded the jacket, counting the money that fell out. 

“Two thousand dollars,” Charlie cackled gleefully. “We’ve had slaves who’ve gotten a few hundred, but hell, two thousand?” he laughed. 

Ian took Fallon’s chin and forced him to look up into his eyes. “We don’t get paid all that much to haul your ass to the holding center, so we’re gonna have to charge you a gas fee. One thousand each seems like a good amount.” He patted Fallon’s cheek and shoved him into the back of the car.

Fallon didn’t fight, he just curled up against the door in nothing but his boxers and hid his face against his knees. Now he had nothing, no money, no clothes, just his fucking freedom and even that didn’t mean all that much.

They pulled up to the holding center and jerked Fallon out of the car, dragging him into the building. A woman sitting at a small desk looked up when they entered, her cold green eyes staring at Fallon. 

“What can I help you two with?” she asked in a smooth voice. 

“His name’s Fallon,” Charlie told her, thrusting Fallon forward. “Picked him up from his master due to forced slavery. Unfortunately, his master didn’t care about him enough to let him have any clothes. You think you can find him some?”

The woman nodded and stood, picked up a file, and waved for Fallon to follow her. She didn’t say anything as she led him into a large closet. She searched the stacks of boxes and pulled out a shirt filled with holes and a tattered pair of jeans. She handed them to Fallon and started searching again. The clothes smelled old and they felt rough on Fallon’s skin when he pulled them on. He took the battered sneakers she handed him and pulled them on without any socks. 

The woman left the closet and led Fallon down a hall. His heart rate quickening when they passed the elevator. Though Fallon was earning his freedom, they were still in a holding center and there was no one there to protect him if they forced him upstairs. Thankfully, they walked past the elevators without a glance from the woman leading him and Fallon took a deep breath to ease the tension in his chest. She brought Fallon into another office where a woman with a wide smile sat behind a large desk. Fallon glanced at the nameplate on her desk. Chloe. 

“Fallon Huxley, regaining his freedom,” the woman who brought Fallon to the office explained flatly. She tossed the file onto Chloe’s desk and left without another word.

“Well, congratulations on your freedom,” Chloe said brightly. “Come have a seat and we’ll get your paperwork started.”

Fallon sat down, watching the woman type away at her computer. The printer started up and spit out several sheets of paper. The perky woman spun in her chair and retrieved the papers, filling out several of the pages. “There are a few pages for you to sign while I print out your new social security card and identification card.” Chloe pulled out a camera and plugged it into the computer. “Smile,” she said as she held up the camera.

Fallon didn’t smile, he didn’t care what his picture looked like. He wanted to go back to Raf and curl up with him on the couch. That thought brought more tears to his eyes and he fought not to let them fall. Chloe picked up a box of tissues and handed them to Fallon.

“I know,” she said sincerely. “Realizing you’re free again is always emotional.”

Fallon wanted to tell her off, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Chloe slid the papers towards him and handed him a pen, instructing him to sign and initial the spots she marked. Fallon glanced over the paperwork outlining that he hadn’t been mentally, emotionally, or physically damaged during his slavery and he wouldn’t attempt to sue the state for not doing their job. Fallon signed it all away, knowing they’d find a way to get him to sign anyway. 

When he was done, Chloe tore off a small card out of the printer and grabbed a plastic card from another machine. “Here is you social security card and your identification card. Congratulations again on regaining your freedom and on behalf of the state of New York, we are terribly sorry we were unable to prevent this from happening. Now, let’s go out and see if we can get you a ride to the nearest shelter.”

Fallon stood, still blank faced as he tried to hold back another flow of tears. He looked at the social security number he had memorized all those years ago and tucked the cards into his pocket. They would be the only things he would ever own.

The two men who had brought Fallon in were chatting with the woman at the front desk and they looked over when Chloe approached. “Would you two mind taking him to the shelter?” she asked in a cheery voice.

The two men glanced at Fallon and nodded. “Why not, gotta go that was to pick up another slave.”

The turned and walked to the door, not waiting for Fallon to follow. Fallon hurried to catch up and climbed into the back of the car, curling up on the seat again. They didn’t drive far before the car stopped again and Fallon was unceremoniously dragged from the back seat and left without another word. Fallon looked up at the shelter he had once stayed at years ago. It hadn’t been safe then and from the looks he was getting from the men who were leering at him, it still wasn’t safe. Fallon knew going inside would be a death sentence, so he turned and headed off across the street to find somewhere to hunker down for the night.


	17. Chapter 17

Fallon ran from the man chasing him out of the backyard with a shovel. He skidded towards the fence he had snuck through the night before and forced his small body between the two loose boards. He escaped between the two building and onto the sidewalk, running from the screaming man while people stopped to stare. Fallon rounded the corner and slowed down, resting his back against a brick wall as he tried to catch his breath. He listened for a moment, sighing when he didn’t hear anyone chasing after him. 

Fallon had been on the streets for a week and he had managed to find a small yard with kids toys scattered around. He had been sleeping in the little playhouse at night, while searching for somewhere permanent during the day. Unfortunately, the father had discovered Fallon’s sleeping place that morning and chased him out of the yard. 

Now Fallon had nowhere to sleep and no food. His stomach reminded him of that when it growled painfully. He was hungry. Hungrier then he had been the last time he had lived on the streets. Fallon assumed it was because last time he had been used to eating so little since he had to scavenge for food in his foster homes. But Raf had kept him well fed, which made the hunger stronger this time. 

Fallon shook himself, fighting off his hunger and continuing on down the sidewalk. He needed to find shelter before night fall, hopefully something permanent. He avoided the eyes of the people on the streets, ignoring those who made rude comments when he walked past. He had bartered his way out of Brooklyn and into Manhattan, in hopes of finding the building Raf worked in. He knew he couldn’t speak to the man, but Fallon just wanted to make sure Raf was okay. Unfortunately, he had no idea where Raf’s office building was and people avoided him like he had the plague so asking for help was impossible. 

Fallon lifted his nose, sniffing the air when something delicious caught his nose. Fallon followed the scent, finding a little diner near the end of the street. Fallon looked inside where several diners talked over their food and continued on to the end of the building, where he had noticed the alleyway next to the diner. He snuck down it, finding a dumpster. A young man threw a bag of garbage into the dumpster and headed back into the diner, not noticing the company that had just stepped into the alley. Fallon was left standing in the silent alleyway, eying the dumpster. He hated himself for thinking about it, but his stomach wouldn’t stop growling. 

Rounding the side of the dumpster to hide himself from the people walking on the sidewalk, Fallon climbed up and began searching for something to eat. He found several half eaten pieces of bread and some bacon and slid back to the ground. The nausea from the idea of eating food he picked from the garbage was drown out by the hunger he felt. So he swallowed his pride and took a bite of the soggy bread.

~~~  
Fallon slumped his shoulders as he headed down the dark sidewalk. People called out to friends on the darkened streets of the city as Fallon walked past, ignoring the people who bumped into him. He was exhausted and hungry and the days and nights seemed to stretch on for years. Three weeks had felt like a millennia to Fallon and he feared he wouldn’t find anywhere safe to sleep again. He had tried abandoned building, places in central parks and unlocked apartments, but there was always someone who found him and chased him out. He pushed on, determined to survive for as long as possible. 

Though people claimed that Manhattan was a classy part of the city, hookers could be found in dark alleyways and street corners, calling out to expensively dressed men and asking them if they were interested in a good time. Fallon didn’t get offers from the hookers, but there were a few times those expensively dressed men offered.

“Hey,” a man said, stepping up to Fallon. Fallon looked up into the man’s dark blue eyes and then down at the suit that probably cost more money then a car. Fallon knew what was coming, but he was still always surprised when they asked. “You looking to make a little money?” the man asked, his tone full of interest and curiosity.

Fallon stared up at the man with wide eyes. Though, he’d had offers for sex for money before, bit had never ben this and not in the middle of the sidewalk. Normally the men pulled him into an alleyway or a quiet doorway to ask. Though every offer was tempting, Fallon had always turned them down. Yes, it was money and yes it was a place to stay for a night maybe, but Fallon wasn’t willing to sink that low. If not for him, then not for Raf, the only man Fallon was willing to let use his body like that again. 

Fallon shook his head and slid around the man, continuing on with his thoughts. 

“I’ll pay you well,” the man called.

Fallon ignored him and continued on. The man called again and he heard footsteps follow after him. He hated when men wouldn’t take no as an answer. The man called again, this time in a more commanding tone and Fallon felt a hand try to grab his arm. Fallon slapped the man’s hand away and took off at a run. He rounded the corner and found himself outside of a church. The gate hadn’t been locked yet and he hurried up the steps and grabbed the door, surprised to find it unlocked too. He snuck inside, rushing to the first door he found. It was a bathroom and Fallon quickly locked the door and slid to the floor. He wrapped his arms around his legs and set his head against the door as he listened to the man outside, calling quietly to him. Apparently the bathroom had been the only door unlocked and Fallon could hear the man struggling with the other locked doors. When the man tried the bathroom door he cursed, moving away until his footsteps died away.

Fallon listened quietly, refusing to unlock the bathroom door. He looked around and sighed. A bathroom wasn’t the best place to hide out, but maybe he could get a good nights sleep for a chance. Fallon spread himself out on the cold, tiled floor and pillowed his head in his hands, closing his eyes. Fallon told himself that tomorrow he would find somewhere safe to sleep and find some way to feed himself without turning into a whore again.

~~~  
Fallon shut off the warm stream of water and reached for the rough towel that was hanging on the rack. He took his time drying off, inspecting his protruding ribs. He had lost weight faster then he had expected, but then again, he had always been skinny when he first ran to the streets. This time he actually had meat on his bones to loose.

It had taken him over a month to slide back into his old life and he hated himself for finding it so easy to do. The hardest was the begging. He hated sitting on the sidewalks, sketching on pieces of paper and pencils he’d managed to scavenge from the trash. He handed those sketches out to anyone who passed by him, hoping they would toss a few coins to him for the work. That was how Willa found him. A young woman with an arm around a bible and a large cross dangling from her neck.

She had told him her church’s rec center was open every Saturday to the homeless, offering them a warm shower, clothes, food and any other provisions they could find. Fallon had been weary at first. He had already been tricked into taking help that landed him into slavery, but Willa was kind and she made sure to find Fallon every day until she had convinced him to come. That had been two weeks ago and the woman made sure Fallon got what he needed.

Fallon pulled on the clean shirt, wincing as the scratchy fabric slid over the growing rash on his back and side. He had had it the last time he lived on the streets and he hoped the weekly showers would help it heal. Willa was waiting for him when he stepped out of the locker room and she held up a heavy jacket for him.

“It’s getting cold out there, you’re going to need a little more layering,” she said in a heavy southern accent. Fallon nodded his thanks and slid his arms into the sleeves. It was a little big, but that just meant he could layer. “I got you a new pair of sneakers too.” She dropped the shoes on the floor, smiling as Fallon put them on. “I’ll keep and eye out for any boots that come in that might fit you. It’s supposed to be a harsh winter this year and those aren’t going to keep your feet warm. I also found you this,” she picked up a rolled sleeping bag and handed it to him. 

Fallon stood and accepted the bag, smiling his thanks. He tested the shoes, thankful that he finally had a pair that actually fit. The blisters on the back of his ankles had been freely bleeding for a few days now. He filled his worn out backpack with supplies and took the two containers of food Willa handed him.

“I snuck you some extra food,” she whispered into his ear when she hugged him. “You take care of yourself and keep yourself safe. I want to see you back here next Saturday.”

Fallon nodded and gave her a thankful smile. He left the rec center and headed towards his home, stopping on the way to give the old, blind woman on the corner her meal. She thanked him with a toothless smile and a pat on his hand. 

Fallon continued down the sidewalk, his head down and his food held close to his chest. There were some who would try to take it from him before he could sneak away. Luckily, he didn’t run into that group and he made his way down the final block to the old storage building. He nodded to the older man sitting at the front door of the building, who toasted him with the same carton of food Fallon was carrying. He had met the man the first Saturday he went to the church and the man had kindly offered him a place to sleep in the building he inhabited.

Rounding the corner into a damp alleyway, Fallon stopped at a rusted metal door. It had been beaten and bent a few times, but the chain and lock on the handles remained. Fallon pulled at one handle, opening the door as far as the chain would allow. For most people, the opening wasn’t big enough to get through, but Fallon was small enough, and skinny enough to get through it.   
Once inside, Fallon flattened himself against the wall and moved down the junk filled hallway to another half broken door. He crawled on his knees into the opening, careful not to rip his jacket.

He crawled towards the pile of blankets in the far corner of the room and set down his food. He set up the sleeping bag, placing one blanket underneath and one blanket on top. Picking up the stuffed kitten he had found laying in a dirty puddle, he set it on top of the blanket. He stroked it’s grey fur, wishing it could have been a real cat. That would never happen again, but the stuffed cat made him feel a little more at ease about living on the streets again.

Pulling out a small first aid kit, Fallon tended to his rash and then turned to his food. It was hot fried chicken, green beans, corn, and a small roll and Fallon dug in hungrily. He hardly made enough begging on the streets to feed himself every day, so most of his food was what he could salvage in dumpsters behind restaurants. It wasn’t the healthiest, but it would keep him alive for now. 

He scratched his head, running his hand over the prickly short hair. He had gotten lice about a week ago and he had to shave his head and many other places to get rid of them. He kept it short after that to keep away any other bugs that might want to use him as a home. 

Finishing his meal, Fallon glanced out the small window in the room and sighed when the sun began to set. He didn’t have anything else to do, so he might as well get to bed. He tossed the food container out into the hallway, hoping to keep the rats away from his sleeping spot. Toeing off his shoes, Fallon slid into his new sleeping bag, grabbed the stuffed cat and held it to his chest. He curled up in a ball and closed his eyes, hoping it wouldn’t get too cold during the night.


	18. Chapter 18

Fallon opened the lid on the dumpster, pushing up onto his toes to look inside. He gripped the edge of the dumpster and pulled himself up, hooking his elbows over the edge and pausing to cough violently while his legs dangled in the air. He wheezed heavily, trying to clear his lungs enough to breath. When the coughing subsided he reached into the dumpster, pushing aside bags of garbage in hopes of finding something to eat. 

He had spent his food money on cough medicine to help him sleep at night, but it hadn’t been helping as well as he’d hoped. He had started feeling sick a few days ago after he had gotten caught out in a freezing rain storm. It had quickly gotten worse as the temperature dropped and Fallon hadn’t been able to fight it off with a few days rest. He had been forced out that morning to find some sort of food before he overdosed himself from filling his stomach with only cough medicine. 

“Fallon?” a surprised yet familiar voice reached Fallon’s ears.

Fallon’s head whipped around, his eyes widening when he found Cade and Jace staring at him from the entryway of the alley. Fallon slid down to the ground, looking down at is feet in shame. He took a step back, intending to run, but another fit of coughs overtook him. Cade took a step forward, his steps stuttering when Fallon shook his head. Fallon took another step back, jumping when the back door to the restaurant he’d been snooping around flew open. A large Italian man holding a long ladle stepped out, his dark eyes focused on Fallon.

“I told you to not to come back here,” he snapped, raising the ladle and striking Fallon on the back.

Fallon whimpered, rushing forward to get away from the man. He ended up running right into Jace, who wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close. Cade stepped in front of them both and he stared down the man like only a small, innocent, stubborn man could do.

The large Italian man returned the stare, his eyes darting between the three of them. He pointed the ladle at Cade and poked him in the chest. “You keep that vagrant away from my garbage.”

“Then I’ll make sure to never invite him to eat here,” Cade snapped back, turning on his heels and marching back to Fallon and Jace. The Italian man cursed him up and down, but Cade ignored him, taking Fallon’s arm and pulling him down the sidewalk.

Fallon tried to tug his arm out of Cade’s grasp, but Cade’s fingers tightened on his and he dragged Fallon towards a car parked on the corner. 

“Cade,” Jace said, hurrying forward and taking Cade’s shoulders. “What are you doing? You can’t take Fallon back to the apartment, there are rules.”

“I don’t give a shit about the rules,” Cade snapped. “Can’t you see he’s sick? I’m not leaving him in that alley to die. I don’t care about the consequences, he’s coming home with us.”

Jace sighed and looked at Fallon, frowning. After a moment he nodded and took Fallon’s other hand, leading him towards the car. They wrestled him inside and headed towards the hotel Fallon had tried so hard to avoid. Last Saturday he had finally asked Willa where Eden’s hotel was, knowing he would be able to make his way to Raf’s office building from there. He had been spending most of his days across the street from Raf’s office in hopes of seeing him. He hadn’t yet, but Fallon had tried to stay hopeful.

Cade instructed their driver to drop them off in the parking garage so they didn’t have to drag Fallon through the lobby. They rode quickly up the elevator and Fallon grumbled when he was forced into the second elevator. He should have tried harder to get away from these two. If they got caught, Cade and Jace would get in a lot of trouble for trying to help him. 

Cade pushed open the door to his apartment, causing Eden and another man to stand quickly. Eden’s eyes widened when he saw Fallon and he stepped towards them. Cade grunted something and shoved Fallon towards the hallway, telling him to take a shower. Fallon shot a glance at Eden, before walking down the hallway and disappearing into the bathroom. He could hear shouting from the living room and he turned on the water to drown out the noise. He took a long shower, warming his cold body and reveling in the normalcy of taking a shower twice in the same week.

He found a pair of boxer, sweatpants, and a t-shirt sitting on the counter for him when he stepped out of the tub and he wondered how he hadn’t heard anyone come in to leave them. He was overcome with several coughing fits while he tried to dress, making his progress extremely slow. The warm water had cleared his chest a little, but it hadn’t lasted long and he was having trouble breathing by the time he was dressed. 

He padded out to the living room, finding only Eden and the man he had been meeting with there. Eden smiled at him when Fallon met his eyes and motioned him over. “I sent Cade and Jace out to get you clothes.” He opened his arms, smiling softly when Fallon crawled into his lap. Fallon set his head on Eden’s shoulder and reached up to clutch his shirt. Eden kissed Fallon’s forehead, crawling his hand over Fallon’s. 

“So this is Raf’s slave?” the other man asked. 

“He was,” Eden replied softly. “Someone requested he be set free since he was pulled off the streets in the first place. Raf hasn’t seen him in months.”

“And you’re taking a huge risk bringing him into your home and giving him help,” the man nodded. 

“Yes, so I expect you to keep your mouth shut, Avery,” Eden replied in a warning tone.

“I’m not going to say anything,” Avery replied, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace.

“Good,” Eden nodded, starting to rock his chair. Fallon sighed and closed his eyes, letting himself drift off to sleep. 

He was jostled awake hours later when Eden shifted to lift him off his lap. “Easy, Fallon, Doctor Enges is here to see you.” 

Fallon looked up at Eden with wide eyes and shook his head, struggling to get out of his arms. Fallon definitely couldn’t afford to see a doctor, which meant Eden would be paying for it and he couldn’t let the man do that. The struggle set him off into a fit of coughs and Eden took the advantage to carry Fallon into the guest bedroom.

“Well that definitely doesn’t sound good,” Doctor Enges huffed and set a large case on the bed. He pulled out a bag of fluids and an IV line and began setting it up. “I’m going to get some fluids into him and then I’m going to need a chest x-ray.”

Eden nodded, sitting on the bed and stroking Fallon’s hair. Fallon was too tired to fight and he let the doctor do what he needed to do to determine what was wrong with him.

“Does Rafael know he’s here?” Doctor Enges asked, once he was finished with the x-ray.

“No,” Eden replied sadly. “I couldn’t do that to him. He’s already so stressed out over loosing Fallon, to tell him he’s here when we both know he can’t come see him would be torture. Raf would never let Fallon go again and it would only cause all kinds of trouble considering his father’s been keeping a close eye on him.”

“Poor boy, he can never be happy for long,” Enges replied in the same sad tone Eden had. “It looks like he’s god himself a case of pneumonia. It’s not bad, but another day outside and things would be much different. I’ll give him some antibiotics and another bag of fluid before I leave. I’ll call in a script for him using Cade’s name and I’ll come back in a few days to check on him. Keep him resting and hydrated and if you can, keep him here. If you let him leave he might not get better.”

“I’ll do my best,” Eden nodded. “So long as he doesn’t go out no one will recognize him.”

Enges nodded, giving Fallon a dose of antibiotics and checking a few more things as he waited for the bag of fluids to empty. When a second bag of fluids was set up, doctor Enges called a nurse to stay a few night to keep an eye on Fallon. Asides from getting up to use the bathroom, Fallon stayed in the bedroom, sleeping on and off. Eden had tried to get him to eat a few times, but the medication he was on was making him nauseous and he couldn’t stomach a lot of food. 

As the sun started to set, Fallon started making plans on how to leave without anyone knowing. He would have to rip the IV line out of his hand and track down the clothes Cade and Jace had purchased for him. He would also have to do all of it without coughing uncontrollably.

“Hey,” Cade said softly, slipping into the bedroom and closing the door. He ignored Fallon’s weak protests about Cade getting sick and climbed into bed with him. “You’re looking better,” he whispered, laying down next to Fallon. 

“Why,” Fallon rasped, pushing himself onto his side to look at Cade. “Why would you put everyone in danger to help me?”

“Because it was the right thing to do,” Cade said softly. “Because you’re my friend and I love you, Fallon. We were all devastated to hear that you’d been taken away from Raf. “

“How… how is he?” Fallon asked before he was over come with another coughing fit. 

Cade gently rubbed his back until the coughing subsided, sighing softly when Fallon waited for an answer. “Eden wanted me to lie when you asked me about it. I can’t, though, I can’t lay here and tell you he’s doing fine. He’s heartbroken, Fallon, just as much as you are.”

Fallon nodded, closing his eyes and letting his own heartache take over. “I wish I could see him.”

“There… there is a way,” Cade whispered, wincing once the words were out of his mouth. Fallon watched him curiously, forcing down another fit of coughs. “They passed a new law,” Cade started weakly, looking shamefully away as he continued to talk. “The law says that any homeless or low class citizens can voluntarily turn themselves over to slavery.”

Fallon swallowed heavily, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. “You want me to become a slave again?” he demanded angrily. “You want me to turn myself over to those people in hopes that maybe Raf will buy me again?”

“We could time it, tell Raf what you’re doing so he can find you and buy you at the sale,” Cade explained.

Fallon’s burst of anger gave him a flood of energy and he pushed himself up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He had to pause for a moment to catch his wheezing breath. “Do you have any idea what they would do to me in that holding center?” Fallon demanded, pushing to his feet. He turned to look angrily at Cade. “They force you into those training rooms and fuck you till you’re raw and bleeding and then they don’t stop. Do you really think they won’t do that to me again? Look at me,” Fallon growled, his voice weak and strained. “They would know I was a whore and they would use that against me. How? How could you ask me to do that when you and I know that there is a near zero percent chance that Raf and I might be together again?”

Cade sat up and opened his mouth to speak, gasping when Fallon fiddled with his IV, yanking it out. “Fallon-“

“No,” Fallon cut him off, attempting a growl, but it came out thick and set him off into another coughing fit. He moved slowly towards the door, pushing Cad away when he tried to take his arm.

“You’ve been spoiled your whole life, Cade, don’t think you can convince me to sacrifice my body because when you think I’ll end up in some cushy home being lovingly taken care of like you were.”

Fallon yanked open the door and walked out, ignoring the pain in his lungs and the fight to breath with each step he took. Jace stepped into the hallway, his blank eyes flinching when he found Fallon leaning against the wall. “Eden,” he called, reaching out to take Fallon’s arm.

Fallon weakly shook him off, taking two more steps before his body failed him and he slumped against the all. Eden was beside him immediately, lifting him back into his arm and cradling Fallon against his body. “He told me to go back to the holding center,” Fallon said weakly, clutching at Eden’s shirt. “He told me I should be a slave again.”

Eden hushed him and carried him back into the bedroom. With a look he commanded Cade out and laid Fallon on the bed. The nurse hurried to set up the IV again, covering the bleeding wound on Fallon’s hand where he ripped the IV out with a bandage. Eden laid on the bed with Fallon, holding him closely to his chest. Fallon laid quietly against him trembling with anger and cold shivers from his illness. He knew Cade was just trying to help, but going back to the holding center meant he would suffer through something worse then death. 

Fallon faded in and out of consciousness for the next few hours, Eden always there holding him every time he woke. His body felt light from the medicine he was given, but every breath he took felt like a stabbing pain. Eden helped him through the coughs, giving him water when he needed and making sure he was comfortable when he slept. Fallon clung to Eden like a lifeline, begging him not to leave whenever he got out of bed. Eden promised him to return, kissing Fallon’s forehead before leaving the room. As promised, Eden always returned, pulling Fallon into his arms and holding him close while he slept.


	19. Chapter 19

Fallon lay spread out on the couch, his head propped on Jace’s thigh and his body wrapped in a quilt Jace had made. Eden and Cade had left early that morning, leaving them alone for the day. They had been watching some cooking championship show Jace had been eagerly waiting to see and now that it was over, Jace had switched to the news. The topic of conversation today was the new law that had been passed, giving free people the opportunity to turn themselves over to slavery. A newscaster was standing in front of a long line of people standing outside a building, waiting to hand themselves over to the government so they could become slaves. 

“You’re going to have to be very careful now that this law has passed. The government just made it much easier for those people who’ve been kidnapping people off the streets and forcing them into slavery,” Jace said. His tone was bland, but Fallon knew the man was worried about him. 

Fallon nodded, sitting up and scooting backwards until he was sitting in Jace’s lap. Jace wrapped his arms around Fallon, holding him close. Fallon smiled at the comfort and pressed his face to Jace’s neck. 

“I’ll be alright,” Fallon assured him. He wanted to say more, but he had to turn away from Jace when he started coughing. After six days of being stuck in bed the cough wasn’t as bad as it had been, but it still made Fallon weary about leaving. He knew if he left too soon he could get sick again.

Jace rubbed his back, his near silver eyes watching Fallon quietly. When the coughing subsided, Fallon laid back against Jace and they watched the newscaster speak to the people on line who were smiling. Many of them had been house keepers and groundskeepers; people who would probably be put in the same positions once they were sold. Others had no experience at all and Fallon could pick out several that would immediately be chosen to be used a sex slaves. 

Both Jace and Fallon groaned when the woman on television announced that every person who turned themselves over would be sent to holding centers. It didn’t matter who you were or what kind of slave you thought you would be, no one escaped the training rooms on the upper floors. These people would get a first hand look at what being a slave would really mean. The news woman continued speaking, stating that over the next few weeks there would be several government run auctions to sell off all the people that were suddenly becoming slaves. 

Jace grunted and grabbed the remote, clicking off the television. He rubbed his face in his hands and Fallon excused himself to use the bathroom. When he returned, Jace had set a backpack on the coffee table and he was looking it over curiously.

“Eden’s been waiting for the day we all wake up and you’re gone. He knows it’s going to happen soon, so he prepared this for you,” Jace said quietly, his eyes staring at the bag and not at Fallon.  
Fallon moved toward the bag and looked inside. It was filled with medical supplies, packets of dried food, clothes, and blankets. “Is that why he always looks surprise when he sees me in the morning?”

“Eden understands why you’re still here, but we all know the time’s coming.” Jace said, glancing at him with blank eyes. “He was packing it this morning when Cade found him. Cade overreacted when he saw it and I think that’s why Eden took him out this morning.”

“Where did they go?”

“I don’t know,” Jace whispered. He was silent for several seconds before finally looking up into Fallon’s eyes. “You were right, about Cade. He has been spoiled and though he thinks he’s trying to help, he’s still too innocent to understand why it was wrong.”

Fallon nodded, it was the same conclusion he had come to after thinking it over while he laid in bed. “I’m not upset that you helped me. I would have died if you hadn’t. I know Cade doesn’t understand and I’ve already forgiven him.”

“Cade loves you, so does Eden, and so do I. We all want you and Raf to be happy and we’re trying to find a solution that doesn’t include you going back to being a slave.”

Fallon sighed and sat next to Jace on the couch. “How has Raf been doing?” he asked, his voice cracking with pain. “Cade said he was heartbroken.”

Jace watched him silently, his grey eyes showing a slight hint of sadness when he nodded. “He’s been pouring over law books trying to find some sort of loophole. He wants you back just as much as you want to be back with him. On top of that, he’s been fighting with his father. He wants Raf to take on another slave, but Raf keeps refusing. Raf says that he doesn’t want another slave. Actually, I’ll be surprised if Raf doesn’t suddenly track you down and leave the country with you.”

Fallon laughed quietly, knowing Raf couldn’t just up and leave for him. “Maybe something will change and I’ll be able to see him again,” Fallon whispered. 

Jace opened his mouth to answer when the door to the apartment opened. Eden stepped inside, followed by a very distressed Cade. Cade had tears streaming down his face and it looked like he had been crying for a long time. Jace was on his feet when he saw Cade’s face and he was looking angrily at Eden, his emotions showing clearly on his face. 

Cade moved into the apartment, rounding the couch quickly and reaching for Fallon. He didn’t wait for permission to embrace him as he curled his arms around Fallon’s neck, pulling him close. “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” he cried, hugging Fallon tightly.

“What did you do?” Jace demanded, his steel eyes focused on Eden.

“I took him to a holding center,” Eden replied calmly. “I wanted him to see what he was asking Fallon to go back to.”

“So you forced him to watch them rape people?” Jace demanded.

“I didn’t like it either,” Eden replied, his voice sharp. “But after this week I realized that Cade needed to see the world for what it is. I wanted him to understand that going back to slavery wouldn’t help Fallon”

“Eden-“

“Jace,” Cade said, cutting Jace off. “It’s alright. I needed to see. I needed to understand why I was wrong.”

Fallon nuzzled Cade’s cheek, wiping the tears away from his face with his thumb. “I forgive you,” he whispered. Cade let out a shuttered breath and held Fallon closer. “I know you were trying to help.”

“It was stupid of me to suggest you become a slave again,” Cade whimpered.

Fallon smiled softly and kissed Cade’s cheek. “I have to leave soon.”

“I know.”

“I promise I’ll be fine,” Fallon sighed, gripping Cade’s shirt in his hands.

“I hope so,” Cade breathed, releasing Fallon.

Jace immediately wrapped his lover up in his arms and Fallon looked at Eden. He moved towards the man, sliding his arms around Eden’s waist. Eden returned the hug and kissed the top of his head. “You need to rest,” Eden whispered when Fallon slumped in his arms. 

Fallon nodded, letting Eden lift him off the ground. He carried Fallon to the bedroom, followed by Cade and Jace. The four of them laid down together, keeping Fallon company while he slept.

~~~  
Cade shifted in his sleep, waking Fallon in the middle of the night. It was the first night he had woken up able to breath without the need to cough repeatedly to clear is lungs. He glanced around, looking at the clock on the bedside table. When he saw that it was past midnight, Fallon rolled onto his stomach and pushed onto his knees crawling backwards until his feet touched the floor. He used the bathroom, pausing in the doorway and glancing at the hallway. He took stock of himself, and determined that he was healthy enough to slip away. He snuck back into the bedroom where the other men slept and pulled on the clean clothes that sat on the dresser. 

He shut the bedroom door quietly and headed out to the living room. He pulled on a pair of socks and then his shoes, searching for the bag Eden had packed for him. 

“I was waiting for you to take your chance.” Fallon jumped and turned to look at Eden. He leaned against the wall, watching Fallon with worried blue eyes. “I put your bag by the door.” 

Fallon glanced towards the door where his coat was draped over the backpack. “Thank you,” Fallon whispered. 

Eden moved towards him, taking him in his arms and kissing Fallon gently. “Take care of yourself,” he whispered.

“I will,” Fallon nodded, picking up his jacket and shrugging it on. He pulled the pack onto his shoulders, looking quietly at the door as he worked up the courage to leave. He felt bad not waking Cade and Jace to say goodbye, but he knew it would be harder to leave if he had. 

“I have one more thing for you,” Eden whispered, moving to the small table where he left his keys. He picked up a small bag and handed it to Fallon. Fallon took the bag and opened it, finding several bills inside. “It’s enough to buy you food for a few months.”

“Eden, I can’t take this,” Fallon breathed, holding out the bag.

“You can and you will,” Eden replied, taking the bag and stuffing it into the inner pocket of Fallon’s jacket. “Keep yourself healthy and safe and if you need anything, you’re welcome here at any time.”

“Thank you, Eden. Tell Cade and Jace I said goodbye for me.” Eden nodded and kissed Fallon again. Fallon pulled open the door and left the apartment, smiling at Eden before pulling the door shut. 

Bolstering his confidence, Fallon made his way down the elevator and into the lobby. He stopped at the front desk and told the woman there that he was a friend of Eden. Pulling out the small bag Eden had given, he handed it to the woman and asked her to make sure Eden got it back. The woman nodded and Fallon headed to the front doors, where he slipped out into the night. It was late enough that he would have to be careful wandering the streets alone. Luckily, the storage building wasn’t far and he made his way down the sidewalk, easily slipping through the shadows. 

Fallon hoped his room hadn’t been taken over by someone else while he was gone as he moved down the dark alleyway. He found the door still locked and he tugged it open as far as it would go. Fallon slipped in and made his way down the hallway, pausing once he reached the wall and listened. He didn’t hear any noise inside and slipped into the room. Nothing had changed, his small bed laid unused in the corner. Fallon sighed in relief at his undisturbed area and he set his bag on the floor. 

Fallon sat on his sleeping bag and picked up the stuffed cat, cuddling it close to his chest. He was back where he should be after eight days of being cared for by three men who loved him. Fallon yawned and closed his eyes, his body exhausted. He toed off his shoes and slipped into his sleeping bag, closing his eyes in hope of getting some more sleep before the sun rose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know that I had promised a happy short for those of you who want to jump into your computer and cuddle Fallon until everything gets better, but I'm probably not going to get to it because of my crazy work schedule. Luckily, I have finished writing this story and I am planning on getting the rest of it posted over the next week. 
> 
> I promise you guys will get your happy ending by the start of next week.


	20. Chapter 20

Fallon moved swiftly down the sidewalk, his fingers fiddling with the coins in his pocket. He hadn’t eaten since last Saturday and he still had three days till the next Saturday. The little change in his pocket was enough to buy him a sandwich from a small deli and a bottle of water. The sandwich he would try to make last for a few days. The water he hoped would last a few weeks. 

He pulled his hand out of his pocket when he entered the deli, looking up at the menu. The woman behind the counter already knew Fallon would ask for a simple turkey sub and she started making it without having to ask. Fallon pulled a bottle of water out of the cooler and set it on the counter, pulling the dollars and change out of his pocket. He dropped the money onto the counter and began counting out the amount he would need to pay. The young woman who made the sandwich gave Fallon a small discount and took the money owed. She wished Fallon a good day as he left and Fallon headed towards his small home. 

On the corner of the sidewalk, Fallon pulled open the sandwich wrapper and took a bite as he waited for the crosswalk light to change. A familiar face flashed in the crowd of people gathering to cross the streets and Fallon glanced at him. It was the tall, bald man who had been chasing him for the last week. Ever since the new passing of the law, people were being plucked off the street left and right. Now that people could freely sign up for slavery, all their captors had to do was force them to sign the papers and no one would know whether they were willing or not. 

For some reason, this tall, bald man badly wanted to catch Fallon and became more and more determined every time Fallon got away. Fallon wasn’t far from his building and with the growing crowd, he could easily loose the man. 

The bald man shifted his gaze from the street, his brown eyes looking over Fallon’s head at someone. Fallon caught the quick nod and shifted subtly so he could see the man behind him. This one looked like he was on his way to a construction site, his clothed covered in paint and dust. The man’s eyes focused on some point in front of him instead of at the bald man. Just as the light change, Fallon caught him give a quick nod and Fallon’s feet moved on instinct. 

He darted across the street, barely missing the fingers that tried to grab his jacket. The familiar curse from the bald man told Fallon that they had missed their chance again. Though Fallon had gotten away, it didn’t mean they would let him go. He continued to slip through the crowd, running at a quick pace as the men chasing after him plowed through. Fallon wasn’t worried that he would get caught. The bald man had sent several men after him before and Fallon had always managed to slip away once he got through the door of his building.

Feet pounded after him and Fallon rounded the corner of the sidewalk and hurried towards his building. He skittered into the alleyway, grabbing the door handle to slow him down and yanking it open. A man shouted at him when he ran into the alley, pouring on more speed to get to Fallon. Fallon nimbly slipped into the doorway, slowing down as he made his way through the hallway. Behind him someone banged on the door, their curses echoing through the hallway. 

Fallon slipped into his room and sat down, opening the bottle of water and taking a long gulp as he tried to calm his racing heart. Once he was calm he ate a few bites of his sandwich, wrapping it back up in its wrapper and setting it in the metal box he had scavenged from a dumpster. It would keep the rats out of his food, but it wouldn’t stop the bread from hardening and getting moldy. 

Setting his bottle of water in his backpack, Fallon laid back on his nest of blankets and sleeping bag, closing his eyes against the sunlight streaming into the room. 

A clang echoed through the room, causing Fallon to sit up quickly. The normally quiet building was suddenly full of noise and Fallon scrambled to his feet when the door to the room began to grind open. Fallon knew the door to his room had been locked, which meant that whoever had gotten into the room had also gotten access to the front door. 

Fallon glanced at the gap in the wall where he usually got in and out, wondering if he could make it before whoever it was got inside. When he saw the bald head of the man who had been chasing him step inside, Fallon didn’t hesitate to dart towards the gap. He easily slipped through it, gasping when a set of strong hands grabbed him. 

Fallon struggled to get away, but the hands kept a firm hold of him. “Got him, boss,” the man called, hauling Fallon over the piles of trash and out the door that had been chained shut moments ago. 

Fallon was dragged out of the alleyway where he was met with the two men who had chased him down the street.

“Thought you could get away this time?” the bald man sneered, his smile growing wicked. “I don’t know what he saw in you, but Master Cowell wouldn’t give up on you. He put quite a price on your head.” The bald man jerked his head and Fallon was dragged towards a small buss. It looked like one of the normal transit busses the city used. Inconspicuous so it wouldn’t raise concern while these men scouted the city for new victims. 

The bus was filled with others just like him and Fallon was forced into a seat next to a young man who didn’t look much older then eighteen. He was strapped to the seat so he couldn’t get away and the bald man sat in the driver’s seat. 

Just like before, they were taken out of the city towards a more rural area. Towards a place where curious eyes wouldn’t see what they did to slaves. The building they pulled up to was no different then the last one Fallon had been brought to and he was suddenly overcome with fear. The bald man personally escorted Fallon off the bus and into the building, the others following behind them in a straight line. They were led into the building and down a small hallway where they entered a tiled room with drains on the floor. 

 

“You make sure to get that ass nice and clean,” the bald man growled, shoving Fallon forward. “I’ll be making sure to make good use of it later on tonight.”  
Fallon shivered as the man released him. Being back in the holding center was bringing several horrifying memories to his mind and they were threatening to overpower him. 

“Not him,” someone commanded from the entrance of the room. A tall, gangly man strode towards Fallon, taking his arm gently in his hand. “The master requested to see him once he was caught.”

The bald man who brought Fallon in scowled, his lips pursing. “The master told me I could enjoy one of the captured. Since this one took me so long to catch, I had wanted to enjoy him.”

“No,” the other man replied sharply. “He has been untouched and the master will not allow you to deflower him and lower his price, choose one of the other ones.” The bald man’s eyes hardened and he nodded reluctantly. “Good.” The man’s grip tightened on Fallon’s arm and he was led to the other side of the room and out the door just as the others who had been captured were instructed to strip. 

Fallon followed along quietly, his eyes searching for some way to get away. Unfortunately, like all holding centers, the doors were always guarded and sealed shut so escape wouldn’t be easy. The man brought Fallon into what looked to be a locker room, stopping in front of a row of showers. 

“The master wants you showered and in clean clothes before he sees you. Everything you need is in the first stall.” The man motioned towards the shower they were standing in front of. 

Fallon glanced at him, realizing that the man had been instructed to keep an eye on him. Stepping into the shower, Fallon turned on the water to let it warm and stripped off his clothes. He took his time washing, making use of the razor to shave away the stubble on his face. He stood for a few minutes under the spray of water letting the day’s events wash over him. He had been captured and dragged to the holding center, but the man who waited for him had claimed he was a virgin. He didn’t know why the master would say something like that. He didn’t even know who the master was, so how could he determine that Fallon was a virgin when he clearly was not?

His old clothes were missing when he stepped out of the shower, leaving him with only a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He dried off quickly and dressed, stepping out of the stall and looking up at the man waiting for him. The wan waved him to follow and they made their way down a long hallway. At the end of the hall the man stopped and knocked on the door, waiting until someone called enter before opening the door. 

Fallon followed him inside, stopping when he looked at the man standing behind the desk. He had seen him before, a brief glimpse when he had been dragged into Eden’s apartment and again when he had climbed into Eden’s lap and slept. 

Avery greeted Fallon with a small smile and motioned for him to sit. “You’ve been harder to catch then I thought you would,” Avery told him, his smile growing. “It’s good to see you back in full health.”

Fallon watched him wearily, keeping silent as Avery moved around.

“Eden said you didn’t speak. I’m glad he never got suspicious when I started asking him about you, he would kill me if he knew I had taken you off the streets.” Avery turned and pulled out a stack of papers. He set them on the desk and laid a pen on top of them. 

Fallon stared at the papers, knowing that it was a contract of slavery. Avery sat down across from Fallon, his fingers folded on the desk. His curious green eyes watched Fallon quietly. After another minute of silence, he reached out and tapped the contract.

“You obviously know what this is?” Fallon nodded, his lips thinning into a line. “And you know that no matter how much you resist, you will sign over your freedom before you leave this room.”  
Fallon stubbornly raised his chin, shaking his head and crossing his arms over his chest.

“We both know it’s for the best, Fallon,” Avery said softly. “You would have died out there and I promise I’ll find you a master that was just as gentle as Raf was. Maybe one that will use that gentleness to teach you to submit when you’re told to do something.”

Fallon’s jaw clenched and he moved to stand. The man standing behind him put a rough hand on Fallon’s shoulder and forced him back into his seat. He grabbed Fallon’s hand and the pen, forcing Fallon’s fingers around the slender shaft. The papers were pulled closer and Fallon’s head was forced forward.

“I have no problem using pain if you continue to refuse to sign,” Avery told him in a conversational tone. “But I don’t think your next master would want to see another scar on your body. From what Eden told me, you have quite a few scars already and a mangled testicle that I will make sure you keep once you’ve signed the papers.”

Fallon struggled against the man holding his head down, but he couldn’t get away. As he struggled he looked over the contract, remembering what Raf had told him about them. He wanted to read over every page, make negotiations and turn the contract into something that would benefit him and not the man who would own him once he signed it. The hand pressing against his head told him that and suggestions he wanted to make wouldn’t be welcome. 

He glanced at his trembling hand as it clutched the pen, weighing his options. He could try to get away and fight, or he could just sign the contract and take what was given to him. At least he knew he would have a permanent place to sleep at night and maybe some food if he became a slave again. 

Fallon chose the first option, bringing his hand up to make it look like he was going to sign the contract, but at the last minute, jerked his elbow back, slamming it into the man’s arm. The hold on his head loosened and Fallon rolled off the chair. He lunged for the door, but an arm around his waist hauled him off the floor. He was forced towards the desk again and his head was slammed onto the desk. Twice. 

Fallon tried to shake off the daze, but the rough hand gripping his hair kept him pinned to the desk. The pen slammed onto the desk next to his face and this time Fallon took it on his own. 

“Good boy,” Avery said softly.

Fallon poised the pen over the line on the page, hesitating long enough for the hand holding his head down to dig its nails into Fallon’s scalp and cheek. Wincing at the pain, Fallon set the pen on the desk again, refusing to sign. He saw Avery nod and the chair Fallon was sitting on was yanked away from him. Fallon was pulled to his feet and the man behind him kicked his legs open.

“I don’t want to have to do this, Fallon, but I will use whatever force I can to get you to sign,” Avery told him sadly.

The man behind Fallon shoved his shorts down and rough fingers probed his ass. The threat was enough to get Fallon to pick up the pen again. Fallon scribbled his name down, his heart aching when he set the pen down again. The man behind him released him and Fallon stood up his eyes focused on his signature as he yanked up his pants.

Avery pulled the contract away, looking over the page before stashing it in a filing cabinet. “Come,” Avery said, turning around to look at Fallon. “I’ll take you to the doctor so he can check you over.”

To Fallon’s annoyance, Avery personally escorted Fallon to each check up, making sure that Fallon was in good health, his teeth weren’t rotted, and that no one had used Fallon sexually since Raf; even though Avery had been willing to do just that to get Fallon to sign the contract. He had been stripped naked when he went to visit the doctor and his clothes hadn’t been returned to him when they left. 

“You will be placed with the untouched men to keep you safe,” Avery explained as they made their way to the elevators. “You will not be taken out for training so you can rest easy.” Fallon gave him a cold look and Avery shrugged. “I wouldn’t have let him fuck you, I just knew that the threat would force you to sign. Don’t look at me like that, you’ll be safer here. Anyway, the untouched are not allowed to have sex, no oral sex and no intimate touching. They are to remain completely pure until they’re sold and that includes you.”

Fallon nodded, hesitating at the edge of the elevator before forcing himself to step on. He gripped one of the railings in the car till his knuckles turned white, forcing himself not to panic as they rose. They only went up two floors before the car stopped and the doors slid open. Fallon covered himself up when he followed Avery off the elevator, nervously glancing at the people who stared at him. Avery led Fallon to a large windowed room where several naked men lounged around and chatted with each other. 

Avery opened the door to the room and pushed Fallon in, shutting the door behind him without saying another word. Most of the men ignored Fallon, but there were a few who stopped talking and turned their attention towards him. A man a few inches taller then Fallon broke away from the group, moving slowly towards Fallon. He gave Fallon a small smile, but his brown eyes were hard. Fallon backed away from the man until his back hit the door. 

“Welcome,” the man said, leaning down to look at Fallon. His brown eyes looked Fallon over critically. His eyes stopped when he noticed something and the man cocked his head. “Are you sure they put you in the right room?”

Fallon glanced down at what the man was looking at and realized he had moved his hands away. The man was looking at his mangled testicle curiously. He quickly covered himself up and tried to move away. The man’s hand came out to stop him, his brown eyes glittering with something dangerous.

“You know, they don’t allow us to fuck, but how would they know if we did it to someone whose already been fucked?” the man pondered.

Fallon shook his head, scooting away from the locked door. The man grabbed him, calling out to his friends, pulling Fallon against him as the group surrounded them. In a quick act of fear, Fallon bit hard on the man’s hand, tasting blood when the man jerked his hand away. Fallon scurried away from the man, shoving one of the other men away and hurrying across the room.

“You bastard,” the man growled. He strode quickly across the room catching Fallon’s arm again and slamming him against the wall. The others gathered around them and the man reached between Fallon’s legs and gripped his testicle hard. “They gave us a whore,” the man announced to the other around him, “he's probably bent over for so many men that no one would notice if we fucked him.”

Fallon started squirming against the man’s hold, whimpering when he backhanded Fallon. Chains slid and clinked together somewhere close by and a hand attached to a cuffed wrist reached out and gripped the man’s hand so hard he cried in pain. Fallon was immediately released and he pressed himself against the wall when a large man stepped into his view.

“Back off, Aaron, you know we’re not allowed to fuck each other,” the taller man growled, still holding Aaron’s wrist tightly. 

Aaron laughed and hissed, “Look at him! He’s obviously been passed around before. No one would know if we fucked him.” 

“Fucking him and raping him are two different things,” the other man snapped. 

“We’re slaves, we’re all going to get raped once we’re sold.”

“You bastard,” the tall man said, slapping Aaron across the face.

Aaron’s friends started protesting to the rough treatment and started shoving the man back. As things started getting heated, Fallon took the chance to sneak away. He found an empty corner in the back of the room and slid to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. The fight that had started was quickly ended by two handlers and Aaron and his group were forced to returned to where they were sitting when Fallon first entered.

Now that the danger was over, Fallon buried his face against his knees in an attempt to make himself small enough that he wouldn’t be noticed.

The drag of chains alerted him to someone close and he looked up to find the man who had protected him standing over him. “You’re quite sneaky,” the man said, kneeling down. “Like a little mouse.”

Fallon glared up at him, annoyed at the comment. The man smiled down at him, running a hand through his curly dark brown hair. The cuff around his wrist clinked with the motion and Fallon’s eyes were drawn to the movement.

“I’ve gotten into a few fights,” he replied, looking down at his wrist with frustrated eyes. “I don’t like when people bully those who can’t defend themselves. My name’s Gale by the way, what’s yours?”

Fallon didn’t answer as he studied the man. Though he was large, his round face was soft and gentle as he spoke. His full lips were quirked in a small smile and his gentle eyes seemed to change color every time he moved. Fallon wasn’t sure if they were blue, grey, or some other color Fallon couldn’t name. Gale cocked his head, studying Fallon quietly.

“You don’t talk?” he ventured. Fallon shook his head, holding his legs tighter. “Then I’ll just have to call you little mouse.”

Fallon scowled and grunted at him, turning so his back was facing the man.

“Oh don’t be like that,” Gale cooed. His fingers brushing over Fallon’s back. “I did save you from the assholes.”

Fallon tossed another annoyed look over his shoulder, scowling harder when Gale chuckled. 

“You might not speak, but you’re expressive enough for me to know what you’re thinking. And right now you’re annoyed at this big jackass for giving you a nickname that you hate.”

Fallon nodded, looking around the room. Most of the men were separated into smaller groups, all of them talking and whispering to each other while they ignored the other groups. He studied each man, noting that though most of them were unaroused, there were some who stood with hard cocks. Those men were constantly clenching and unclenching their fists. It looked like they were trying not to touch themselves.

“They’ll get punished,” Gale told him, causing Fallon to jump. He had scooted closer, their bodies nearly touching. “We’re not allowed to come at all. If they catch us jerking off, they’ll punish us.”

Fallon nodded to acknowledge that he was listening, noticing that a few of the men had their cocks locked into some sort of device. His eyes strayed towards the group Aaron was sitting with, finding the man staring at him. He immediately looked away and into Gale’s eyes. Gale lifted a hand and gently carded his fingers through Fallon’s short hair. 

“You look tired,” Gale observed. “And you look like you haven’t had a good meal in months.”

Fallon glared at him, jerking his head away so Gale would stop touching him. Gale dropped his hand and shifted so he was sitting protectively in front of Fallon, blocking Fallon’s view of the other men in the room. They were silent for several long minutes, staring at each other while the noise in the room grew deafening.

The door to the room opened and a man stepped in, calling for everyone to move to their rooms. Fallon scooted away from Gale and stood up, avoiding the look Aaron was giving him. He went to move towards the door when an arm circled his waist and he was pulled against a broad chest.

“Stay with me,” Gale whispered in Fallon’s ear. “They’ll grab you in the hall if you’re not careful.”

Fallon struggled to get away, but Gale’s arm held him secure. Fallon let his arms drop and his weight sag in Gale’s arm. He hated how easily he had been trapped by people the last few weeks.   
A man with a set of keys approached them, his green eyes eyeing Fallon. “What are you doing?” he asked curiously.

“Keeping him safe from those who think they can fuck him,” Gale growled, holding out the arm he wasn’t using to hold Fallon against him. 

“Wouldn’t matter, he’s a whore anyway. The master found out about him from a friend. He’s been a slave before so no one would notice if he was fucked.”

“Which is why I won’t let it happen,” Gale announced, shaking his arm so the chains clinked. 

The man grunted and unlocked the cuff. Gale switched the arm holding Fallon and held out the other. Once he was free, Gale curled a hand around Fallon’s wrist, keeping a firm hold on him.  
“Just remember, you don’t behave, we’ll lock you away again. If that happens, I’ll make sure to throw him to the others myself.”

“Yes, sir,” Gale ground out. He pulled Fallon forward, leading him out of the room and down a long hall. Through another door they entered another hallway filled with cells. Two to three men were crammed into each, all staring at Fallon and Gale as they walked past. Fallon followed closely behind Gale, trying to ignore the men staring. Gale led him into an empty cell and the door was closed behind them. 

Fallon pulled away from Gale and scanned the tiny room. It had a bed large enough for the two of them to sleep in if they cuddled and a scarred table and chairs.

“They gave me my own cell when I started acting out,” Gale explained. “It also meant I got a bed I could fit in. Lucky for you they didn’t give me a hard time when I took you with me. I wouldn’t have been able to protect you if they locked me in here.”

Fallon glanced at him, his stomach clenching at the idea of sharing a bed with a stranger. Gale might be protecting Fallon against the others, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t planning on using him for his own fun. Gale studied him curiously, moving around Fallon to sit on the bed.

“I won’t hurt you, little mouse,” Gale assured him softly. “You might not believe that now, but you will.”

The door to the cell creaked open and two plates of food were dropped onto the table. Gale moved to the table, motioning for Fallon to sit. He lifted his plate and began scraping some of his food on to Fallon’s plate. When Gale set his plate down, he only had half his rations. Fallon shook his head when Gale started eating and picked up his plate to give Gale back his food.

“Take it,” Gale grunted, taking Fallon’s plate and setting it back on the table. “I’ll survive if I don’t eat. You need the food or you’ll starve before they even decide to sell you.”

Fallon sat back down and looked at the pile of food on his plate. With the food Gale had given him it looked like a normal helping of food and it was definitely more then he had eaten since he’d spent his few days with Eden. His stomach grumbled with hunger and he thought back to the sandwich he’d hidden away. It was two, maybe three days worth of food if he could have stretched it, all gone to waste now that he was here. He didn’t know why the thought of his sandwich going bad was so painful. Probably because there was someone just like him hiding away, curled up in a ball and starving. Someone who would have loved to have had a half eaten sandwich. 

Fallon forced himself not to think about his little home in the storage building and concentrated on his dinner. Tonight he would get to sleep in a real bed, regardless of the fact that he had to share that bed with a very large man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised I'm posting another chapter. Thankfully after a long night of doing inventory at my 2nd job I had today off. I'll post another chapter on Wednesday.


	21. Chapter 21

Fallon dumped the two plates of food on the scarred table and paced the room, his anger overriding his hunger. Gale was currently being punished for attaching another slave in the hallway. A man that had roughly grabbed Fallon on their way to their cells and explicitly announced what he wanted to do to him. Fallon had easily gotten away before Gale interviewed, but the big man made sure the other slave learned not to touch Fallon. 

When the handlers managed to pull them apart, Gale’s face was cut up and his knuckles were bleeding. The other slave had to be carried out by two men. Fallon had also been dragged out and forced to sit and wait for Avery to interrogate him. Avery had asked questions in yes or no form, relating what Gale and the other slave had told him to make sure the stories were all the same. Avery then told Fallon that since Gale had arrived he’d been in multiple fights and had never been interested in befriending someone until Fallon. That meant Fallon was tasked the job of getting Gale to behave while Fallon was here. 

Once Fallon agreed, he was escorted to his cell and left to wait for Gale. A cart of books had accompanied the dinner cart and Fallon was given the option of choosing one to read. He picked The Tales of The Arabian Knights, which was now clenched in his hand as he paced. He didn’t know what kind of punishment Gale was facing for him and it made him angry and worried all at the same time. 

Voices in the hall signaled that someone was coming and Fallon let out a breath of relief when Gale was escorted into the cell. His face was bruised, his lip and cheek cut but he was otherwise okay. There was a bruise forming on Gale’s left side and a few bite marks on his arms that would last for a few days. Whatever punishment Gale had been given wasn’t to his body. 

“I’m okay,” Gale said softly.

Fallon relaxed and nodded. Then he remembered he was upset too and strode over to Gale, whacking him in the head with the book.

“Ow,” Gale groaned, rubbing the spot on his head. “What was that for?”

“You idiot,” Fallon hissed, whacking Gale again. “What is wrong with you? You keep getting into fights and they’re going to give you the beating of your life.” Gale grunted and rolled his eyes and Fallon hit him with the book again for good measure. 

“Alright I get it, just stop hitting me,” Gale’s hand shot out when Fallon lifted the book again and he snatched it out of his hand. “Jesus, you’re relentless.” Gale straightened when Fallon didn’t try to his him again, his currently green eyes looking Fallon over. “I can’t say it was all bad, I finally got you to talk to me.”

“You didn’t need to attack him,” Fallon snapped, crossing his arms over his chest. The fact that he was naked probably ruined the effect, but he didn’t care. 

“He grabbed you, little mouse, he said he was going to make a show of fucking you. I wasn’t going to let that happen.”

“If you had paid attention before you let your testosterone take over, you would have seen I got loose before you attacked,” Fallon groused. 

“I did see that, which was why I tackled hm, so he wouldn’t try to grab you again.”

Fallon rolled his eyes, fighting back the urge to smack Gale again. “I was fine, so stop trying to save me every time someone reaches for me.”

“I don’t want to see you hurt, little mouse,” Gale replied softly. He glanced towards the table, frowning when he saw the uneaten food.

“Don’t” Fallon ground out, holding up a hand to keep Gale from talking. Gale gave a curt nod and Fallon’s hard stare softened and he ran a hand over his short hair. “I’ve been living on my own long enough to know how to keep myself safe, I don’t need you to get yourself in trouble to protect me.” Fallon paused for a moment and then grunted. “And stop calling me little mouse, my name’s Fallon.”

“It’s nice to hear your voice, Fallon,” Gale said softly. He lifted the book in his hand and examined the cover. “I see they brought the book cart around.”

“I would have grabbed you one, but I didn’t know what you would like,” Fallon told him, sitting in a chair at the table. He caught the look on Gale’s face and paused, watching him quietly.   
Gale’s eyes lifted to meet his and he smiled sadly. “I can’t…read,” Gale replied shamefully.

“I could teach you,” Fallon offered quickly.

Gale smiled at him and shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t know how, it’s that the words…” Gale flopped his hand. “They look scrambled to me.”

Fallon cocked his head, trying to understand what Gale meant when he said the words were scrambled. “You’re dyslexic?” Fallon whispered when realization struck him.

Gale’s head snapped up, grey eyes hardening. He let out a low, menacing growl and his hands were shaking from how hard he was holding the book. “What did you say?” he demanded.

Fallon’s eyes widened as he looked up at him, confusion and fear flashing through him. It took him a few seconds to realize that Gale had probably been tortured all his life because of his disability and he didn’t understand the word Fallon had used. 

“Dyslexic,” Fallon said quickly, “it means you have trouble reading because you can’t process the words. I wasn’t making fun of you.”

Gale blinked at him several times and then started to relax. He looked down at the floor and nodded. “I didn’t realize there was a term for it, I’m sorry for overreacting.”

“Didn’t your teachers notice when you were in school?” Fallon asked. 

“They did, but my father was a proud man. There was nothing wrong with his children and he refused to let me get any help. I was lucky that most of my teachers were willing to help me or I would have never gotten through school.”

Fallon watched Gale sadly. It wasn’t fair that Gale’s father refused to get his son the help he needed. He sat quietly for a moment, sliding his finger over the rounded edge of his plate. “What if I read to you?”

Gale looked at him, his eyes filled with hesitation. “You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to,” Fallon replied, smiling softly at Gale.

“Thank you,” Gale whispered, returning the smile. After a second the smile changed into something mischievous. “Little mouse.”

“You’re an ass,” Fallon scowled, picking up his fork and digging in to his food. 

Once they ate, Gale and Fallon curled up on the bed and Fallon read the first two chapters of his book to Gale. When the handlers turned the lights out, Fallon set the book on the floor and rolled over so he was curled against Gale. Unlike his rough treatment towards the other men, Gale’s hands were gentle when they touched Fallon. The subtle movements left a relaxing trail in the wake of Gale’s fingers and Fallon had been surprised more then once to find the man touching more intimate parts on him before Fallon even realized it. Fallon never complained though, Gale’s touch didn’t cause his body to react and they were so tender he didn’t mind.

Gale’s large hands slid around Fallon, one settling on his shoulders, the other settling on his lower back. Gale’s knee pressed against Fallon’s thighs and Fallon slipped one leg around Gale’s.

They laid quietly for a few minutes, Gale’s fingers lightly sliding over Fallon’s spine. 

“Why did you turn yourself over to slavery?” Fallon found himself asking.

Gale drew in a deep breath through his nose and let it out slowly. “I didn’t,” he whispered. 

He shifted so he could look at Fallon’s face in the pale light of the moon. Fallon felt Gale’s fingers glance off his hip, smoothing the skin as Gale thought. “My father liked to gamble,” he started. “He owed a lot of people a lot of money and he wasn’t making enough to pay it back. When they threatened to take the farm away from us my father pleaded with them. It was the only source of income he had and if he lost it, we would have been homeless and broke. So they gave my father a second option, sell me and my mother and he could keep the farm.”

“And he just gave the two of you up, just like that?”

“He didn’t have a choice. My older brother had joined the military when he was old enough and he was using the money he made to pay off the debts. Unfortunately, he was killed eight months ago and there was no one else. My five sisters were already married and their husbands refused to help because they knew my father would just gamble the money away. I worked when I could, both on the farm and off, but my father didn’t have any problems selling me. He discovered I liked men one day when he walked in on me and our neighbor’s son. He told me that if I wanted to be a faggot, I could do it as some rich man’s whore.”

Fallon couldn’t speak. He couldn’t believe someone would just hand their son and wife over to slavery. It baffled him even more that Gale’s father wanted to get rid of him because he considered Gale different. “And your mother?” Fallon breathed.

“I don’t know, I was brought here and purchased by the master, but he didn’t want my mother. I don’t think I’ll ever know where she went.”

“I’m sorry, Gale,” Fallon whispered, stroking Gale’s cheek. He curled his hand over the back of Gale’s head and pulled him down until their foreheads touched. Fallon rubbed his nose over Gale’s and stroked his hair to try and comfort him. 

“Can I ask you something?” Gale whispered after several long, quiet minutes. His fingers were kneading Fallon’s inner thigh, the touch light and soothing.

“Yeah,” Fallon nodded, nuzzling Gale’s cheek.

In a surprisingly unsubtle movement, wildly different from Gale’s normal touch, he slid his hand up Fallon’s thigh and cupped his testicle. Fallon gasped, fighting with his instincts to pull away and protect himself. Again the gentle touches returned as Gale slid his thumb over the mangled skin. “What happened to you?”

Fallon closed his eyes for a moment, letting himself feel Gale touching him. It didn’t elicit any sorts of feelings in him, but he took a minute to enjoy letting someone he trusted touch him. 

“When I was first taken as a slave I was sold to a whore house. One of the men who purchased me for the night liked to torture us. He tied me to the bed and then used a rubber band to tie up my testicles. The rubber band started getting really tight and before I knew it, it was cutting into me. I screamed and cried for help but I was ignored and this was the result. I lost the one and I’m just lucky I’ve been able to keep the other.”

“Jesus,” Gale growled, releasing Fallon’s testicle. “What the hell is wrong with people?”

“You’ll learn quickly that people see us as object. Things that can be replaced once they’re broken.”

Gale grunted and shook his head. “Being a slave sucks more than I thought it would.”

“It’s not all bad if you get a good master,” Fallon replied, trying to sound hopeful.

Gale looked up at him, his eyes telling Fallon that he wanted to say something negative. The emotion changed to something devastating for a moment before it was gone. “Hopefully I can be that lucky.”

~~~  
The loud clanging of metal woke Fallon from his nightmare and he let out a keening cry when someone touched his shoulder. He threw a punch out of fear, hitting the person in the jaw.

“Easy, little mouse,” Gale whispered, taking Fallon’s hand in his. His large hand slid over Fallon’s stomach, rubbing soothing circles against the skin as Gale hushed him. “You’re safe here, no one’s going to hurt you.”

Fallon gulped down a breath and nodded, leaning against Gale. He jumped when there was another clang of metal and Gale wrapped his arms around him tighter. Fallon had been having nightmares since he had been dragged back to the holding center, but talking to Gale last night about his past slavery had caused the horrifying memories to surface. Thankfully Gale endured it without saying anything more then calming words. He just held Fallon close until his breathing evened out and he stopped shaking, never asking him to talk about the dreams. 

The grinding of the cell door opening caused Fallon to jump in Gale’s arms and he shuddered when a man stuck his head in. “Come get your food,” he said in a gruff voice.

Gale detached himself from Fallon and got up to take the plates. He set the plates on the table, pushing some of his rations onto Fallon’s plate. As usual, Fallon scowled at him until Gale dragged him off the bed and forced him to sit. “Stop being so grumpy because I feed you more. You need to put on weight and I’ll give you everything you need to do that.”

Fallon picked at the food on his plate, listening to the other men around them get ready for another day of lounging around like spoiled puppies. He finished what was on his plate to make Gale happy when someone called for everyone to line up outside of their cells. Gale got up immediately, but Fallon hesitated, watching as Gale’s shoulders tensed. He slipped out of his chair and followed, standing closely next to Gale in the hallway. 

“Everyone form a line,” one of the handlers called, holding up a long chain. “We’ve got a buyer coming to choose a virgin.”

The group turned, moving closer together so they could be chained. Fallon glanced around as handlers walked up and down the row, snapping out orders to the slaves.

“Not you,” another handler said, shoving Fallon into a cell. “The master doesn’t want you sold yet. Says he’s got someone special for you. Someone will come by to bring you to the room when the others have left.” 

Fallon watched as each man was cuffed and he glanced up at Gale. Gale gave him a small smile and winked as they attached the cuffs to his wrists. Fear bloomed in Fallon’s chest when he realized that his protector might get sold and then he would be left alone and vulnerable. 

The men were marched down the hall and Fallon was escorted to the large room where the slaves lounged. He paced the room for a few minutes, holding his book against his chest as he thought about all the horrible things that might happen if Gale was sold. Once he was tired of circling the room, he piled several large pillows in the corner of the room where he usually sat with Gale and huddled down into them, waiting for news. 

It didn’t come till almost two hours later when the men were brought into the room and uncuffed. Fallon waited quietly, slightly hidden in the corner behind his pile of pillows so no one spotted him. He watched the men filter in, some smiling, others frowning, and a few that were grumbling about how it wasn’t fair. A familiar silhouette stepped into room and Fallon let out the breath he had been holding. He poked his had up when Gale moved towards his chains, waiting while he was cuffed to the wall.

“You weren’t sold,” Fallon said quietly, crawling towards Gale when the man sat down.

“Nah,” Gale waved a hand, “these guys aren’t looking for someone whose larger then them, they want someone small and still innocent.”

“Because you’re not innocent at all?” Fallon asked in slight disbelief. He was pretty sure Gale wasn’t a virgin, but he was also sure that the man had been the one doing all the fucking and not the other way around.

“Well, I’ve never had something shoved up my ass,” Gale replied casually, lounging on the pile of pillows. “As for being a virgin, I’ve had my share of men and women.”

“I’m sure you have,” Fallon muttered, looking Gale up and down.

“What about you?” Gale asked, his chains clinking when he reached for Fallon. “Are you only into men or do you like both?”

“Only men and before I became a slave I would top or bottom,” Fallon answered, scooting closer to him.

“Do you prefer to bottom or is it that no one would let you top after you became a slave?”

“The latter. Though…” Fallon trailed off, his face somber. He watched the fingers stroking his thigh stutter.

“Though?” Gale pushed, lifting his hand and hooking a finger under Fallon’s chin, tilting his head up to look into his eyes.

“My old master Raf… He enjoyed when I took control. I used mostly toys with him, but I think if I asked he would have let me top. I did enjoy letting him fuck me, though.”

“He sounds like a good man,” Gale whispered.

“He is,” Fallon whispered, turning so he could lay on the other side of Gale. His heart ached whenever Raf was brought up and it caused him too much pain to think about him and the things Fallon had never said to him. The pan in his chest became worse and he curled himself into a ball. He’d never see Raf again, which meant Raf would never know that Fallon loved him. That thought made his whole body stiffen in pain and he curled tighter around himself. Fallon closed his eyes, fighting back the tears. 

The noise around him was drowned out by a horrible pounding in his head and Fallon took several deep breaths to keep himself from falling apart. He heard Gale breath deeply and felt the pillows shift as he moved. Gale’s large hand slid over Fallon’s shoulder, tugging at him until he managed to roll Fallon over. He curled his arms around Fallon’s waist and pulled him to his chest and began rubbing soothing circles over Fallon’s back. 

“I hate seeing you sad,” Gale whispered, brushing his nose over Fallon’s cheek. “Life hasn’t been fair to you and those damn bastards took the only person who made you happy.”

Fallon sniffled, burying his face in Gale’s neck. Gale held him closer, giving Fallon all the comfort he could want. Fallon shed a few tears, but managed to keep himself in check. There was no use crying over a shitty life and he had cried enough over the man he’d lost. Soon he would have a new master and Raf would be nothing but a wonderful memory.

“Thank you,” Fallon whispered, pulling back when he was finally able to keep his emotions in check. 

Gale smiled and kissed the top of Fallon’s head. “The least I can do is take care of you while you’re here.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have to work all weekend and one of my mares is about ready to have a baby so I probably won't get a chance to update again until Tuesday.

Fallon sat cross legged on an oversized pillow, reading from the book in his hands. Gale lounged next to him, his eyes closed as he listened to the story. They were halfway finished with the book and Gale was already talking about the next book he wanted Fallon to read. He had been let off the chains due to his good behavior and Fallon threatened to beat him with a book again if he attacked anyone. Some of the other slaves had joined them at a distance to listen to Fallon read.

Fallon finished another chapter, turning the page to start another when two handlers stepped into the room, making their way towards Fallon and Gale. Gale stood quickly, looming over the two men as Fallon slowly closed the book and stood. It was obvious they were coming for him. 

“Move,” one of the handlers commanded, stopping in front of Gale. Gale stared them down, but a touch from Fallon had him moving aside. The handler strode forward and grabbed Fallon’s arm. “Today’s your lucky day, slave, you’ve been sold.”

Fear flared inside Fallon and he began struggling. The man gripped his arm tighter and pulled him forward, growling curses at him. Fallon fell into the man and unconsciously bit down on his arm. The man howled and cursed again, releasing Fallon. Fallon scurried behind Gale and pressed himself against Gale’s back, trembling as the man continued to curse at him. When the handler got control of his anger he stepped forward, halting when Gale held up a hand.

“Give me a moment with him,” Gale pleaded. “Hurting him will only make it worse.”

The handler scowled at Gale, his lips pursed. “Fine!” he turned away.

Gale turned to Fallon and pulled him against his chest. “You have to go,” he whispered.

“I don’t want to be sold,” Fallon replied, his voice trembling.

“The master promised to give you to someone who would take care of you,” Gale said softly, stroking Fallon’s short hair. “You’ll be alright.”

“And what about you?” Fallon asked. “What will happen to you?”

“I’ll be sold too,” Gale answered matter of factly. “Go with them, Fallon, and see who it is that’s bought you. If you don’t like them then you can throw a tantrum and they’ll give you back.”

Fallon snorted, knowing it wouldn’t be that easy. He threw his arms around Gale’s neck and held him tight. Gale chuckled softly and returned the hug. “Thank you for keeping me company for these last two weeks.”

“Thank you for keeping me safe,” Fallon whispered, puling back to look into Gale’s eyes. “Maybe will see each other again.”

“I hope so, little mouse,” Gale smiled softly. He turned them around, nudging Fallon forward.

The handler took his arm again and led him out of the room. They made their way to Avery’s office and the handler holding Fallon knocked. There was a call from inside and the handler opened the door. Fallon closed his eyes when he stepped into the room, steeling himself to look at the man he would now have to call master. He was shocked to find himself looking into Lucas’s studying green eyes.

“Raf is going to have a fit when he sees you’ve cut your hair off,” he said, holding his arms open. Fallon didn’t know what hit him harder, the fact that Lucas was here, or the fact the Raf might be here too. Fallon stepped into Lucas’s arms, letting the man hold him tightly. “So this is the secret thing you wanted me to see.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have had to call you if Raf would have just come when I asked him,” Avery rolled his eyes.

“Maybe you should have told him you had Fallon and he would have been here in a heartbeat,” Lucas shot back.

“He would have demanded to know how I knew about the two of them,” Avery exclaimed. “I wasn’t about to tell him that I met him when Cade dragged him home because he had pneumonia and nearly died.”

“You were at Eden’s house?” Lucas asked curiously. Fallon looked up at him and nodded. “For how long?”

“Eight days,” Avery answered when Fallon kept quiet. “He was lucky he ran into them when he did.”

“You should have called him instead of me,” Lucas quipped. 

“And listen to him lecture me?” Avery demanded, crossing his arms over his chest. “All you have to do is call him and ask him to come down here. We both know he’s not going to complain once he sees Fallon.”

Lucas sighed and slid his hand over Fallon’s short hair. “Lice?” he asked, smirking when Fallon nodded. 

“He’s free of any little parasites now. I had him checked when he got here. He’s completely healthy,” Avery told him, sounding annoyed at the change in subject.

“Good,” Lucas nodded. “As for Raf, he’s currently tied up in a legal battle with a husband, wife, and their three children and I can’t distract him from it.” Lucas paused when Fallon slumped against him, pressing his forehead against Lucas’s chest. His hands gently glided over Lucas’s back, trying to calm himself. “How much were you going to charge Raf?” Lucas asked curiously.

“Just his cost of care,” Avery replied stiffly.

Lucas nodded, “I’ll pay for Fallon. Draw up the papers as a gift and put Raf’s name on them. I’ll take temporary ownership of him until I can bring him to Raf.”

Avery smiled and nodded, sitting down at his desk and typing on his computer. Half and hour later the papers were drawn and signed and Fallon was following Lucas to his car. Fallon relaxed into the seat, breathing deeply as he looked up at the holding center. He thought about Gale and prayed the man continued to he behave. He also prayed that Gale would find a kind master one day.

“Unfortunately, what I said was true,” Lucas told Fallon as he started the car. “Raf is in over his head with this case and as much as I want to reunite the two of you, it will have to wait till this weekend.”

Fallon nodded his understanding. “Thank you for taking me away from that place.”

“I wouldn’t leave you there, Fallon,” Lucas replied sincerely.

Fallon gave him a weak smile, his eyes watching the cars pass by as they made their way to Lucas’s home. 

“You’ll have to ignore the state of the apartment. I’m in the process of moving somewhere bigger.”

“Does that mean all the trouble with your father is better?” Fallon asked.

“Not really, but I sold some new software for a few million dollars and it helped replenish the money I’ve lost.”

Fallon stared at Lucas, wondering how much a few million dollars really meant. He assumed it was a lot considering the size of the building Lucas was moving out of. It was a tall building, with more floors then Fallon wanted to count. The building was equipped with a doorman, a man that would take your things and carry them upstairs for you and a several more people who would tend to the tenants every need. 

Lucas and Fallon boarded the elevator and Fallon shuttered when the elevator operator pushed the button for the top floor. Fallon scooted closer to Lucas when the elevator began to rise, hoping the close proximity gave him a little comfort. Lucas glanced down at him, his green eyes shining knowingly. He reached out and slid a hand around Fallon’s waist, pulling him against his side. Fallon grasped Lucas’s jacket and buried his face in his side. Lucas held him loosely, his arm curled almost stiffly around his waist. It was very different then the last time Lucas had touched him and Fallon wondered if something was wrong. 

“I just want to prepare you before we get upstairs, I have three slaves living with me,” Lucas said as the elevator continued to climb. “Maisey, who is my house keeper. I suggest you keep out of her way. You probably won’t see her, but Elsea is my youngest slave. She was given to me after my father was put in jail. She’s not a fan of strangers and she’ll avoid you. Lastly is Logan, my personal slave.” The corner of Lucas’s lips pulled down and he looked away from Fallon. “I haven’t… I didn’t take care of him like I promised Jace I would.” 

Fallon nodded, noticing the shame on Lucas’s face. Fallon slipped his hand under Lucas’s shirt, hesitating when the skin flinched before flattening his hand and rubbing Lucas’s back. Lucas closed his eyes at the contact and he held Fallon tighter.

They moved away when the elevator dinged and stepped into a hallway. There were two apartments on the floor, the doors facing opposite each other. Lucas opened the door on the right, stepping into a small entryway that opened into a small kitchen and a large living room. A woman hurried about, preparing food and washing dishes. Fallon assumed the woman was Maisey.

“Welcome home, master,” she said in a cool voice. She didn’t have any of the motherly characteristics Hannah had. She looked like a grumpy old woman who would send you to bed without dinner for no reason at all. 

Lucas gave her a nod and pushed Fallon into the apartment. Though the building was extremely large, Lucas’s apartment was a cramped four bedroom. Fallon looked around at the luxurious furniture in the open living room, the expensive television and all the electronics stacked on a stand. There was little natural light in the room, considering the only window was a small one over the sink. Lucas led Fallon down a short hallway lined with doors that led to the four bedrooms and a bathroom. The room on the right held two beds and two dressers inside for Maisey and Elsea to use. The door to the room on the left was closed. Lucas’s room was the next one on the right, a simple room with a large bed, a dressed and a television hanging on the wall.

“You’ll stay with me at night,” Lucas told him. “I don’t have another bed and I’d rather keep you away from the others. I will tell Maisey that you’re free to do what you want considering you’re not my slave. I’ll take you to see Raf on Saturday.”

Fallon nodded, wringing his hands. He had to wait four days to see the man he loved again and it was going to be the longest four days of his life. 

“I’ve got some work to do,” Lucas said softly. “You should get some rest before dinner.”

Fallon nodded, toeing off his shoed and crawling onto the bed. He laid down and closed his eyes, resting, but not sleeping. A little while later Fallon had enough of resting and rolled out of bed to find something to do. He cracked open the door to the bedroom and peeked outside, staring straight into the bedroom across the hall. 

A man not much older then Fallon sat on a small bed, his eyes dark with exhaustion. Fallon realized that this was Logan and he stepped out of the bedroom. He crossed the hall in two short steps and moved into the other room. Logan’s messy brown hair fell over his face as he looked down at a small book in his hands. His skin was pale and there was something about his posture that told Fallon he was tense. 

Fallon stepped further into the room, making sure his footfalls were heavy to alert the man he was here. Logan’s head snapped up, his hazel eyes wide when he saw Fallon. He suddenly looked shaken and weary.

“I wasn’t expecting him to buy another slave so soon,” Logan whispered. Fallon quickly shook his head and Logan snorted. “I wonder who he’s planning on selling me to.”

Fallon shook his head again and bolstered his courage. He felt guilty for making the slave think that Fallon was his replacement. “He’s not going to sell you,” Fallon said, his voice quiet. “I am a gift for Lucas’s friend, Raf.” Logan finally looked at him and cocked his head. “I’m Fallon,” he said quickly.

“Logan,” Logan replied, setting the book he was reading on the table. He held out a hand and motioned Fallon forward.

Fallon walked forward until he was standing in front of the bed. From here he could see the bruises on Logan’s neck, the rope burns on Logan’s wrists and the marks that disappeared under his sleeve. Fallon knew Lucas could be rough just from the way he acted, but he had no idea how rough. 

Logan waved him forward again and Fallon climbed onto the bed. Logan pulled him forward and slid his hand over Fallon’s face. 

“You look tired,” Fallon commented, reaching out and taking Logan’s hand. He pushed up his sleeve, inspecting the red welts on Logan’s arm. “You need to sleep.”

“I have to see my master soon,” Logan replied, his hazel eyes hard. 

“Don’t worry about your master,” Fallon hissed. “I’ll deal with him if he comes looking for you. Sleep.”

Logan nodded, his eyes searching Fallon’s. Fallon let out a surprised gasped when the man wrapped him up in his arms and pulled him down onto the bed. “I’m not the only one who needs sleep,” he said gently. 

Fallon mumbled something against Logan’s chest, struggling for a moment to get away from him. Logan held him tighter and Fallon grunted in annoyance. He gave up when Logan refused to let him go and closed his eyes. 

~~~  
“Logan!” Lucas’s harsh voice from the hallway woke Fallon. It was starting to get dark and Fallon could smell something delicious coming from the kitchen. The door to Logan’s room began to open and Fallon gently climbed over Logan, putting himself between him and Lucas. 

Lucas stepped into the room, his green eyes filled with annoyance. He halted when he saw Fallon sitting on the bed with his arms crossed over his chest. Lucas’s cold eyes softened and he frowned. “Is he alright?”

“He’s fine,” Fallon said, his voice hard. “He’s just exhausted. Probably from all the abuse he’s endured.”

“I know,” Lucas growled. He clenched his jaw and looked away, fighting with himself to say something. When he spoke again, his voice was calm. “I’m trying.”

“Not hard enough,” Fallon snapped. 

Lucas sighed and strode towards the bed. He set his hand on the top of Fallon’s head and kissed his cheek. “Dinner is ready.”

Fallon nodded and stood, turning to watch Lucas slide his arms under Logan’s small body and lift him off the bed. Logan whimpered out an apology and Lucas shushed him with a kiss. Fallon followed them out to the kitchen, glaring angrily at Lucas’s back. Jace would never forgive Lucas if he knew what Lucas was doing to his slaves.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up getting out of work early today and my mare had a beautiful baby boy last night, which gave me Sunday night free to upload a chapter and watch Superbowl commercials and watch a sport I know absolutely nothing about. 
> 
> I have one more chapter to post after this and you'll all be happy to know that I've started The Untrained, which I will tell you more about in the next chapter.

Fallon stood quietly in the hallway, listening to the noises in the first bedroom. A young girl’s voice echoed into the hallway as she talked animatedly to someone else in the room. She sounded young and innocent and Fallon couldn’t help wondering what Lucas’s father had planned for her. He also wondered what Lucas had planned for her. 

Fallon let his curiosity get the better of him and he inched towards the door, hoping to get a look at the girl and see that she was okay.

“Fallon?” Fallon jumped and spun around, looking up at Lucas like a kid who had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Lucas had a small smile on his face and he waved Fallon to him. “Come into my office.”

Fallon followed behind him, surprised to find that Lucas’s office was filled with large computer screens and a desk that held a long keyboard, mouse and pages of what looked like encryptions. Fallon moved to the desk, running his fingers over the keyboard. On a small shelf behind the desk were boxes of software and hanging above it were the titles of several famous websites and search engines. 

“Did you create all these?” Fallon asked in surprise.

“Most of them, yes,” Lucas nodded. “Some of them I co-created. I’m working on a new social network for a company at the moment. Take a seat,” Lucas said, indicating the wooden chair on the other side of the desk.

Fallon decided to take his chances and sat in the cushioned rolling chair Lucas normally used. Lucas rolled his eyes and dragged the other chair around so he could sit facing Fallon. “There are a few things we need to talk about before I take you to Raf’s tomorrow.”

“Bad things?” Fallon whispered, fear curling in his gut.

“That’s for you to decide,” Lucas replied, watching Fallon with tentative green eyes. “Raf… quit his job.”

“He what?” Fallon breathed.

“He didn’t want to help people who didn’t care about the wellbeing of their slaves anymore. So he started his own firm. It’s just him right now, but he’s got a lot of cases. Surprisingly, most of the people he worked with at his old job came with him after he quit. Most of them he kept, but there were a few that he turned away. Raf’s currently working out of his house, but when I talked to him a few hours ago he said he was looking for an office building to set up in.”

“You talked to him?” Fallon asked excitedly.

“I didn’t tell him about you yet,” Lucas smirked. “He was headed into court and I couldn’t distract him. We both know he would have abandoned his case and came to see you. There is one more thing,” Lucas said, his voice turning hesitant. “Lucas was forced to take another slave.”

“By his father?” Fallon asked in a stony voice.

“Yes,” Lucas nodded. “His name is Ari. He’s got good breeding, but according to Mathias he’s defective in the bedroom. Raf didn’t elaborate on what that meant, but I don’t think Raf pays a lot of attention to him. He took Ari to keep him safe and that’s it. Raf’s never touched him like he touched you.”

Fallon nodded, imagining what Ari might have gone through in the hands of men like Raf’s father. The thought made him shiver. It also made him think about Logan. “And what about your slave?” he asked, looking into Lucas’s green eyes. 

Lucas sighed and rubbed his face. “I still have another month before I can sell him, but I have a man I work with that is interested in taking Logan. He will be good for Logan and he’ll take good care of him.” Lucas paused, looking down at his hands as the silence grew heavy. “I’m not like Raf and Eden,” he finally said. “I try to be gentle, but then I fall back on what I know when something becomes difficult and I can’t stop myself. By the time I realize that what I’m doing I’ve scared them and I can’t seem to fix it.”

“What if you didn’t take such a vulnerable slave?” Fallon suggested. “What if you took someone that could handle the rough treatment?”

“Do you have someone in mind?” Lucas raised an eyebrow. 

Fallon thought about Gale for a moment, but brushed that thought off. Gale could be strong, but Fallon definitely didn’t want to subject the man to Lucas’s rough treatment. “Avery seems to have a few men you might like. Maybe you should call him.”

“He has been trying to get me to come and choose one of his slaves for a while,” Lucas replied thoughtfully. His sharp eyes looked Fallon over for a moment. “Did Avery treat you well while you were there.”

Fallon nodded, “No one was allowed to touch me. Avery made sure I was well take care of too. One of the slaves also took me in and kept me safe.”

Lucas nodded, stroking his jaw with one finger. “Is there anything you need before I take you home tomorrow?”

Fallon smiled at the word ‘home.’ “No, thank you. All I want is for you to take better care of Logan.”

“I will try,” Lucas said softly, “and I will call Avery and try a different type of slave.”

Fallon smiled, satisfied with Lucas’s answer. He stood up and reached for Lucas, pulling the man’s head down and kissing him. Lucas laughed lightly at the intimate gesture and wrapped his arms around Fallon. The embrace wasn’t as stiff as it was yesterday and Lucas relaxed against him.

“Why don’t you and I go keep Logan company while I wait for my conference call? He doesn’t have a lot of down time and it’s been stressing him out. The least I can do for the short time we have together is keep him happy.”

Fallon nodded, taking Lucas’s hand.

~~~  
Logan was waiting for Fallon when he stepped out of Lucas’s bedroom and he pulled Fallon into a tight hug. “Thanks for spending your time here with me,” he whispered.

“I enjoyed it,” Fallon replied, returning the hug. When he pulled back he set a hand on Logan’s shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t worry, Lucas is going to make sure you go to a good home.”

“I hope so,” Logan breathed, forcing himself a smile.

“He will,” Fallon assured. 

Logan followed him down the hall, pausing near the kitchen where Lucas was standing. Lucas walked towards Logan and leaned down to kiss him. He whispered something Fallon couldn’t hear, but the smile that tugged at Logan’s lips and the darkening of his cheeks told Fallon Lucas had said something sweet. 

“Are you ready to go?” Lucas asked once Fallon pulled on his shoes. 

“Very ready,” Fallon said eagerly. 

Lucas chuckled and motioned towards the door. Fallon couldn’t hide his excitement as they made their way to the car. The drive was a blur to him as tall buildings melted into long highway and then farms and large fields. He could hardly control the beating of his heart when Lucas turned down the long driveway that led to Raf’s home.

 

The round house was just as welcoming as it had been the first time Fallon had arrived and he held his breath when Lucas parked the car. His body was thrumming with excitement as he unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed out of the car. He bounced excitedly on the balls of his feet as he waited for Lucas to get out of the car and join him.

“I was expecting you to go running into the house,” Lucas laughed, taking Fallon’s trembling hand.

“I didn’t want to be rude,” Fallon replied, following Lucas up the stairs. Instead of knocking, Lucas pushed open the door and stepped inside, calling out a happy hello.

“Good morning, Lucas,” Hannah called from the kitchen. “Raf didn’t tell me you were coming by.”

“I brought Raf a present and I didn’t want to spoil it by telling him I was coming,” Lucas replied, pushing Fallon further into the house. 

Hannah moved around the counter so she could give Lucas a hug, pausing when she spotted Fallon. “You brought him home,” she whispered, a wide smile spreading across her face.

Before Fallon knew what was happening he was wrapped up in a tight hug. Hannah preened over him as she held him to her chest, squeezing all the air out of his lungs. When Fallon thought he was going to pass out from lack of oxygen Hannah released him and pulled Lucas into a hug. 

Fallon stepped away from her to catch his breath and looked around the rooms. He didn’t know why he thought everything would change in the time he was gone, but he was glad it hadn’t. A shimmer of gold hair caught his attention and Fallon’s eyes locked onto a set of wide green eyes. The owner of the eyes was crouched on the couch, glancing at him over the back. Fallon cocked his head and the eyes followed. The head suddenly disappeared and a man stood up and moved quickly around the couch. He hurried over to Fallon, his shaggy blond hair falling in his face.

“Are you him?” the man asked, a smile wide on his face. He bounced up and down as he looked at Fallon with wide, green eyes.

“Fallon, this is Ari,” Lucas introduced.

“You are him,” Ari said excitedly. He threw his arms around Fallon’s neck and hugged him tight. “I’m so excited to finally meet you. Every one talks about you all the time.” Ari pulled back and continued his bouncing. “Are you staying? Doesn't this mean you and our master can be together? Does that mean he can be happy again?” More questions flowed out of Ari’s mouth before Fallon had the chance to answer them. He was like an excited puppy seeing his master after a long day apart.

“Ari, calm down,” Hannah said softly. “I’m sure Fallon is here to stay this time.”

“Where is Raf?” Lucas asked, setting his hands on Ari’s shoulders to keep him from bouncing. 

“He’s upstairs in Fallon’s room,” Ari told him, tilting his head back so he could look up at Lucas. “He works up there when he can’t concentrate anywhere else.”

Lucas nodded and handed Fallon the envelope he had been holding. “Why don’t you take this upstairs with you? Make sure Raf signs all the sheets so you can stay with him.”

Fallon nodded, taking the envelope with still trembling fingers. He moved to the stairs, his heart pounding in his chest. Nerves began building in Fallon’s chest with each step he made and he had to stop on the stairwell to calm himself. He wasn’t worried that Raf wouldn’t want him. He was nervous that all this time away had changed the two of them so much that they wouldn’t know each other anymore. 

When he finally managed to calm himself, he found himself looking at a familiar picture. It was his drawing of Pia when she was in the garden, playing with Raf’s flowers. He was surprised to find another one of his drawings when he reached the landing and two more before he reached the door to his studio. 

Fallon stood outside the door for a moment, looking at the small hallway. He smiled at the warmth that filled him when he finally accepted that he was home with Raf again. Gripping the door handle, Fallon pushed open the door and stepped into the room. Several more of his drawings covered the walls and asides from the desk sitting in the center of the room, Raf had left all of Fallon’s things just where they were. 

Raf was bent over the desk, filling out what Fallon assumed was paperwork. He hadn’t looked up when the door opened, giving Fallon a chance to watch him. He wasn’t much different then the last time Fallon had seen him. Raf’s red hair was still immaculately groomed and his face was soft. His grey eyes were focused on his task, his long fingers gripping his fountain pen with ease. The sight made Fallon’s nerves calm and he smiled softly at the man he loved.

“You know,” Fallon started, his smiled growing when Raf’s hand faltered, “when I said I wanted a dog; I meant a four legged furry one, not a two legged bouncy one.”

Raf’s head jerked up, his grey eyes filling with disbelief when he found Fallon standing in front of him. “Fallon,” he whispered.

“It’s me,” Fallon replied in a soft voice.

Raf pushed himself out of his chair and rounded the desk, taking the two steps to reach Fallon. Fallon dropped the envelope he was holding and held out his arms. Instead of a hug like he expected, Raf took Fallon’s face in his hands and kissed him. Fallon returned the kiss as relief filled his chest and tears filled his eyes. Raf’s own tears were already falling onto Fallon’s cheeks, but neither one of them pulled away. They drew out the kiss for as long as possible, separating when they had to wipe their faces.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Raf whispered, stroking Fallon’s cheek with his hand.

“Yes, I am,” Fallon replied, reaching for the envelope. He handed it to Raf and held his breath. Raf pulled open the envelope and pulled out the ownership papers. Devastation flashed across Raf’s face as he looked them over. 

“Avery had you?” Raf whispered.

“Cade and Jace ran into me almost a month ago when I had pneumonia. They took me home with them and Avery was there visiting. After I left, he had his handlers come find me. After the new law was passed it became easier for him to get slaved. He said he tried to call you but you refused to come, so he called Lucas instead. When Lucas saw me he bought me as a gift for you. I mean, I’ll be your slave again, but at least now we can be together.”

“He wouldn’t tell me what kind of slave he had for me,” Raf replied, setting the papers on the desk. “I kept refusing because I didn’t want another slave.” He paused again, his grey eyes filled with sadness. “You signed the contract giving up your freedom?”

“I was sort of forced to do it, but yes,” Fallon nodded. “I guess I was always meant to be a slave.”

“No,” Raf smiled. “Not always, Fallon. You signed a contract that legally makes you a slave, which means you fall under the normal slave laws. That means that in ten years I can set you free.”  
Fallon’s heart fluttered in his chest and he looked up into Raf’s grey eyes. “Does that mean I can stay with you when I’m freed this time?”

“That’s exactly what it means.”

Fallon laughed happily and threw his arms around Raf’s neck, kissing him deeply. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you too,” Raf hummed, kissing Fallon’s lips again. “Welcome home.”

“Its good to be in your arms again.” Fallon pulled back and looked around the room, smirking up at Raf. “But you’re going to have to move your desk out of my studio and buy me a real dog,” he said in a stern tone.

Raf laughed joyfully and kissed Fallon again. “Why don’t I sign these papers and we can go downstairs so I can thank Lucas for bringing you to me? We’ll talk about the real dog later.”


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me a little longer to post this chapter because I was having Raf and Fallon withdrawals. I don't know why, but I've had the hardest time finishing The Gift and The Unwanted even though I knew my characters would be back in the other stories. 
> 
> The Untrained will be the last story in this series and it will be about Lucas. I have started it, but I'm going to take a few weeks to get a few chapters done while I work on posting the rest of The Toy Store and another chapter of The Secrets of Men. 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and loving these characters just as much as I do.

Fallon wandered up the stairs with Pia in his arms. She had grown from a kitten to a cat in the time he was gone and Fallon was sad that he had missed watching her grow. Raf had told him that she had howled at the door for days after Fallon left and then stalked Raf around the house and laid on him for the rest of the time Fallon was gone. Raf had been forced to lock her in the bedroom so he could get his work done because she would climb onto his desk and lay on his papers. Now that he was home, she hadn’t left Fallon’s side and she made it very clear Fallon wasn’t going anywhere without her.

Fallon spent most of the afternoon telling Raf and Lucas about his time on the streets and in Avery’s care. Fallon told them both about Gale and how the man protected him. Lucas seemed more interested in Gale then Raf was and he asked Fallon several questions about him. Raf listened to Fallon quietly, his grey eyes full of sadness when he told Fallon that he couldn’t afford another slave. He did promise to call Avery and make sure that Gale was sold to a good master. Though Fallon wasn’t happy that he couldn’t bring Gale home, he was grateful that Raf was going to try to help him as much as he could.

Fallon managed to slip away when the conversation turned to Raf’s work and he snuck up the stairs with the intention of spending some time in his studio. He tried to set Pia on the floor when he reached the top of the stairs, but she merely jumped on his shoulder with no intention of leaving Fallon alone ever again. Fallon chuckled at his cat’s stubbornness and he scratched under Pia’s chin. 

He headed towards his studio, stopping when he heard someone singing at the end of the hall. Fallon suddenly remembered that there was another person living in the house. He had forgotten all about Ari and decided that he should get to know Raf’s other slave. He wasn’t exactly sure what kind of relationship Raf and Ari had and Fallon needed to know if Ari loved Raf just as much he did.

Knocking gently on the door, Fallon stepped inside and shut the door behind him. Ari’s bright green eyes met Fallon’s when he entered the room and he smiled happily at him. “I was just thinking about coming to find you. I wanted to get to know you better,” he said, undoing the buttons on his shirt. 

Fallon watched him quietly for the moment, gathering his courage to talk to the man. “I was thinking the same thing,” he replied, his tone a little flatter then he had wanted it to.

Ari’s smile faltered slightly at the tone, but he managed to keep it steady. “Then I’m glad you found me instead. I’m just going to change and then we can talk.”

Fallon nodded and moved further into the room as Ari turned around and slid his shirt off his shoulders. He let his shirt drop to the ground and Fallon’s steps faltered at the sight of Ari’s back. Tally marks had been burned into Ari’s skin, starting at his shoulders and ending with two small lines underneath his right shoulder blade. Many of the marks were still healing and the skin around the last of the tallies was swollen and peeling. 

“You should get those looked at,” Fallon said softly, stepping towards Ari and brushing the tips of his fingers over his unmarked skin. Ari’s skin shuttered under his touch and Fallon jerked his hand away.

“Raf had them checked after he bought me,” Ari answered quietly. “I have medication for it, but I haven’t asked Raf to put it on yet tonight. I was giving the two of you space” 

Ari reached for something on his dresser and he turned around, holding out a small tube. Fallon took the tube when Pia jumped off his shoulder and onto the bed, inspecting it quietly. 

“They are reminders,” Ari whispered, his green eyes filling with pain. “For all the times I didn’t react when my old master had sex with me. It wasn’t my fault, I just…” Ari’s shoulders sagged and he let out a shaky breath. “I just don’t find sex appealing. I mean, I can get aroused, but not often and I’d much rather get myself off then have someone else touch me. When I told Raf he did some research and he told me I was asexual. He said there was nothing wrong with me, even though my last master told me I was defective.” Ari shook his head and gave a tense laugh. “I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m telling you this.”

“You’re not defective,” Fallon said softly, sliding his hand down Ari’s arm. He coaxed the man to turn around and began rubbing the medication over Ari’s branded skin. A wave of protectiveness overcame Fallon and he suddenly wanted to find the man who did this to Ari and make him pay.

“I’m glad you’re back,” Ari said, his voice quiet. “Now Raf will have someone he wants to pay attention to.”

Fallon’s hands paused on Ari’s back. “Does Raf ignore you?” 

“Well… yes and no. He makes sure I’m alright and he gets me whatever I need, but he doesn’t really talk to me. It’s mostly good morning and goodnight and questions when he wants to know something, but that’s all. He’s been busy, though and I can’t be upset with him for working. He doesn’t touch me either,” Ari glanced over his shoulder at Fallon. “The only time he does is when he holds me after I wake up from a bad dream. Most of the time he acts like I’m not here and I try to stay out of his way. Hannah doesn’t like it, but I’d much rather be ignored, then I don’t have to do things I can’t do and get punished for them.”

Fallon frowned harder as he finished with Ari’s back. Why would Raf ignore Ari? He would have to talk to him and find out what was going on. 

He took Ari in his arms when he turned back around and kissed his forehead. They were about the same height, which made comforting Ari much easier. “Raf would never punish you and he’ll never force you to do something you wouldn’t want to do either.”

“He said he wouldn’t, but I’ve learned over the years that what they say and what they do are two different things.” Ari slipped his arms around Fallon’s waist and pressed their foreheads together. 

“Raf’s not like that,” Fallon said softly.

Ari sighed and closed his eyes, sliding his hands up Fallon’s sides. Pia gave a mewl of annoyance and batted Ari’s hand. She leapt from the bed onto Ari’s shoulder and squished herself between Ari and Fallon’s chest. The two laughed at the cat’s antics and Fallon reached up and took the cat in his arms. 

“Fallon,” Raf called from the hallway. He sounded a little frantic as he searched through the other rooms in the hallway.

“You should probably let him know where you are,” Ari giggled, taking Pia from Fallon. “He sounds like he’s going to start panicking at any moment.”

Fallon rolled his eyes and headed to the door so he could placate his lover before the man turned the house upside down looking for him. 

~~~  
Fallon slipped one of Raf’s long night shirts over his slim body and flipped on the water in the sink. He took his time brushing his teeth, blinking away his exhaustion. Instead of spending the evening alone with Raf, Fallon had dragged Ari downstairs so the three of them could be together. It gave Fallon the chance to observe Raf and Ari interacting together. It turned out what Ari said was true. Once Raf made sure Ari was comfortable on the couch he ignored him until Fallon started talking to Ari and even then Raf seemed distant when he spoke to him. Fallon believed that his absence was the reason Raf pushed Ari away and he hated that change in Raf. 

Breathing out a slow sigh, Fallon let himself forget about Ari for the night and focused on the man waiting for him in bed. He finally had time alone with Raf and he was going to take advantage of it before his exhaustion got to him.

Flipping off the light in the bathroom, Fallon stepped into the bedroom, nearly tripping over Pia, who was siting at the door waiting for him. He gently nudged her out of the way with his foot and padded towards the bed. Raf was already lying down, his arm draped over his eyes. He was a beautiful sight and Fallon stood for a moment and let his eyes roam his lover’s body. As he studied the contours of Raf’s chest, Fallon’s cock suddenly showed its own interest, lifting the fabric of Fallon’s shirt slowly.

Fallon huffed at himself and moved towards the bed, tugging the sheets off Raf’s hips before climbing on top of him. Raf pulled his arm away from his face and studied Fallon with curious eyes. “Every time I see you I feel like I’m dreaming,” he whispered.

Fallon smiled and slid his hands over Raf’s chest. “I’m here,” he said, leaning down to kiss Raf’s lips. Raf joined the kiss immediately, pushing his tongue between Fallon’s lips and coaxing his mouth open. Fallon moaned into the kiss and buried his fingers into Raf’s hair. Fallon’s cock dragged over Raf’s stomach when he shifted forward and Raf gave a low moan.

“I don’t think you’re ready for that,” Raf whispered against Fallon’s lips.

“Do you really think you’re going to stop me?” Fallon challenged. He sat up and grabbed the hem of his shirt and tugged it over his head. 

“Look at you,” Raf breathed, sliding his fingers over Fallon’s thin frame. A look of devastation flashed through his stormy grey eyes and Fallon reached up and took his hands.

“I’ll gain it back,” he whispered, lifting Raf’s hand to his lips and kissing the palm.

“I know you will, but seeing you like this still hurts.” Raf pulled his hands from Fallon’s grip and set them on his hips, rubbing his thumb over the skin. 

Fallon let his head fall back and he closed his eyes and let himself feel Raf’s touch. It had been too long and his body felt like it had been deprived of pleasure for centuries. Leaning forward, Fallon caught Raf’s lips in an urgent kiss and began to move his hips. This time he was low enough that his cock brushed over Raf’s and they were both soon fully aroused. 

“Jesus, Fallon,” Raf grunted, reaching for the lube on the bedside table. He managed to tap the bottle with his fingers, causing it to tumble to the floor. Raf cursed, receiving a smack from Fallon. “Ow, what was that for?”

“Language,” Fallon scolded.

Raf snorted and began to wiggle underneath Fallon until he had rolled onto his stomach. Fallon set his hands on Raf’s ass, his eyes traveling over the moving muscles on Raf’s back as he searched for the lube. Realizing the position Raf had put himself in, Fallon gripped Raf’s ass and slid his cock between his cheeks. Raf’s breath stuttered and his hips jerked up when Fallon did it again.

“You know I’d let you,” Raf said, setting the bottle of lube on the bed.

Fallon looked at the lube and then at Raf’s ass. As much as he would love to try it, Fallon would much rather be the one getting fucked tonight. He tapped Raf’s shoulder, indicating he wanted him to turn over and pushed up onto his knees so Raf could move easier. When Raf was on his back again, he set his hands on Fallon’s hips and pulled him down so their cocks slid against each other. 

“What do you want?” Raf asked, pushing himself up to kiss Fallon again.

“I want you,” Fallon replied, flicking his tongue over Raf’s lips.

Raf moaned and reached for the lube. He gripped Fallon’s ass with one hand and slipped the other hand between his legs, sliding his slick fingers over the cleft to tease the ring of muscles. Fallon whimpered when Raf’s finger pushed into him and Raf hushed him with another kiss. He slid his nose over Fallon’s jaw and nuzzled under his ear when he added another finger, stretching him for what was to come. Fallon wasn’t very tight, but it still took Raf longer then Fallon wanted to prep him. 

“Patience,” Raf groaned, withdrawing his fingers. He added more lube to his hand and stroked his cock, holding himself still when he was ready. Fallon set his hands on Raf’s shoulders and lifted his hips, pushing back until he felt the head of Raf’s cock against him. Slowly he pushed again, moaning when the head breached him. It was an easy slide down after that and Fallon sat with his ass pressed against Raf’s hips for several long seconds, feeling the man he loved inside him again.

“Are you going to be able to stay awake long enough to finish what you started?” Raf asked when Fallon yawned and rubbed his eyes. Instead of answering, Fallon squeezed Raf’s cock until he gasped. “I guess that’s a yes,” Raf chuckled.

Fallon hummed, rolling his hips so Raf’s cock swirled inside him. Slowly he began to lift himself up, only rising a few centimeters before sliding back down. Raf groaned at the slow movements, his hands gently gripping Fallon’s thighs as he forced himself not to move.

Finally Fallon pulled up until just the head of Raf’s cock was inside him and he slowly slid back down, feeling every inch of Raf’s cock filling him again. Fallon closed is eyes, swirling his hips as he lifted up again. The head of Raf’s cock nudged Fallon’s prostate, drawing out a moan from both of them.

As much as Fallon wanted to make this last, his exhaustion was starting to creep up on him and he didn’t want to fall asleep before the end. Pushing his weight onto his hands, Fallon pulled up again and let gravity take him down. Raf groaned, thrusting up to meet Fallon, his fingers digging into Fallon’s thighs. Fallon whimpered as he rode Raf’s cock, his head hanging as he panted with each shift of his hips. Raf’s cock never missed the chance to slide over Fallon’s prostate, drawing out small cries of pleasure from him. 

Fallon lifted one hand off Raf’s shoulder and curled it around his cock, stroking himself from base to tip every time he lifted off Raf’s cock. He was so close to coming but his legs were burning from the exertion and his arms were trembling from his weight. He was getting too tired too quickly and he knew he wouldn’t be able to finish if it took any longer. He tried to lift up again when his arm gave out and Raf quickly caught him, pulling Fallon against his chest.

“You’re exhausted,” Raf whispered, stroking Fallon’s back. He shifted so he was on his knees and leaned forward, laying Fallon gently on his back.

“Don’t stop,” Fallon breathed, lifting his legs and sliding his knees over Raf’s sides. “I want to feel you.”

Raf nodded and leaned forward, gently kissing Fallon’s lips as he began rocking his hips. Fallon moaned at the slow movement, curling his legs around Raf’s waist and holding him close.   
“I love you,” Fallon whispered, repeating the words several more times.

“I love you too,” Raf breathed, nipping at the side of Fallon’s neck. His thrust began to speed up again and Fallon moaned when Raf’s cock found his prostate again. He let his knees slide open and laid spread out on the bed like an offering to the man he loved. 

Raf reached between them and took Fallon’s cock in his hands, stroking him slowly when his hips picked up speed. They both knew the slow strokes would hold off Fallon’s orgasm for a little longer. Fallon’s eyes slid closed, his body thrumming with pleasure every time Raf filled him again.

“Please,” Fallon groaned when his body began to tighten.

“Come on,” Raf coaxed, moving his hand over Fallon’s cock faster. “Let me feel you come and I’ll give you what you want.”

“Yes,” Fallon whimpered, his tired body writhing beneath Raf. His toes curled as his orgasm started there and moved quickly up his legs. His back arched when his cock erupted and he couldn’t quiet the mewling cries he emitted. 

Raf whispered words of encouragement as he drew out more come from Fallon’s cock, his hips never ceasing their movement. Fallon groaned at the sudden emptiness he felt when his orgasm began to fade and he clenched around Raf. Raf gasped at the added stimulation, his body curling over Fallon when he thrust in again. The tips of their noses touched and Fallon could feel every one of Raf’s harsh breaths against his face as he fought to control himself.

Fallon clenched again, sliding his foot over Raf’s thigh and pulling his hips up. Raf groaned when he lost control of himself and pounded into Fallon’s body. A moment later come began spilling from his cock, filling the emptiness Fallon had felt seconds before. It was over long before Fallon wanted it to be and soon Raf was pulling out of him. Fallon was too tired to ask for more and he slid one leg up, moaning when a rush of come slid out of him. 

“I’m sorry,” Fallon groaned, his eyes heavy as his body finally succumbed to his exhaustion. “I didn’t want it to end like this.”

“Its fine,” Raf replied, gently kissing Fallon’s lips. “Sleep, Fallon, I’ll take care of you.”

“I know you will,” Fallon sighed as he slipped into sleep.

~~~  
Fallon woke the next morning to paws moving swiftly up his back. A low purr warned him that Pia was about to use him as a bed and she quickly plopped herself down when she felt him move. She stretched her little body out over Fallon’s back, rolling around until she got comfortable. Fallon smiled when she rubbed her head over his shoulder, purring loudly.

“Morning,” Raf said, the bed dipping when he climbed over Fallon and laid down. He pressed a kiss to Fallon’s shoulder and then another on his neck. “I have a present for you.”

“What kind of present?” Fallon asked, shifting his hips and feeling Raf’s come sliding between his thighs. 

“Well, it was supposed to be your Christmas present, but we missed that by two months, so we’ll call it an everything you missed when you were gone present.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll just have to get up and see.”

“Its taboo to move when you have a cat laying on you,” Fallon pointed out.

“Fine,” Raf sighed, sitting up. “Then I’ll just shower all by myself while you lay in bed with your cat.”

At the mention of showering with Raf, Fallon rolled over, causing Pia to protest noisily when she slid off Fallon’s back. He gave he an apologetic scratch behind her ear and hurried after his lover.  
After more time then it should have taken for them to get ready, Raf and Fallon emerged from their bedroom and headed for the kitchen.

“You two sounded like you had fun doing the naughty dance last night,” Ari teased when they sat down. 

“I don’t want to hear that kind of talk at the table,” Hannah scolded, waving a spatula at Ari.

Ari snickered and looked at Fallon. “I had to cuddle with your poor kitty last night because she wasn’t allowed in your room.”

“She got me back this morning,” Fallon mumbled, remembering the fight he had with Pia when she laid down on his clothes and refused to get up. 

“Your children will never let you ignore them for long,” Ari replied, digging into the eggs Hannah scooped onto his plate. 

Raf announced that he and Fallon were going out for the morning and Fallon caught the look of relief and disappointment on Ari’s face. If Fallon knew where exactly they were going he would have asked if Ari could come along, but since this was a normal occurrence Ari seemed content to say goodbye to them and find something else to do himself.

Fallon pushed Ari in Raf’s direction when they went to leave, glaring at Raf when a look of confusion crossed his face. Ari figured out what Fallon wanted them to do first and he wrapped his arms around Raf’s waist. Raf slid his arms over Ari’s shoulders and kissed the top of his head, whispering a quick goodbye. 

“What do you plan on doing with Ari?” Fallon asked when climbed into the car.

“Well, I’ve only had him for less than a month, so he’ll be staying with us for a little while,” Raf replied as they headed down the long driveway. “I figured I’d use that time to find someone who would want to buy him. He’s got good breeding, so I wouldn’t have trouble finding a buyer.”

Fallon nodded, sitting quietly for a moment as Raf merged onto the highway. “I think he should stay with us.”

“Fallon,” Raf grumbled.

“No, listen,” Fallon said, keeping Raf quiet. “I saw Ari’s back last night and he told me about his sexuality and I don’t think selling him is going to be safe for him. You and I both know buyers would only want Ari for sex and he doesn’t want to have it. That means they’ll put him to work in the fields, force him to sleep on dirty floors with hundreds of other slaves that would take advantage of him the minute they were left alone. Even if you did find someone you felt you could trust to take him, who knows what they will do to him. Staying with us would be the safest thing for him.”

“Is this going to be my life now?” Raf asked, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You taking in strays and begging me to keep them.”

“I just want what’s best for Ari. You took me in when no one wanted me and you’re doing all you can to help Gale, why throw away someone else who no one wants?”

“And what are we going to do with Ari?” Raf asked, slanting Fallon a sideways glance.

Fallon knew from that look that Raf had already decided to keep Ari, he just wanted to know what Fallon had in mind. “I don’t know, have him help Hannah when she needs it, let Calvin teach him, give him everything he wants and in ten years set him free.”

Raf chuckled, “I was worried you wouldn’t like him.”

“And I’m worried because you’re ignoring him,” Fallon replied pointedly. 

Raf’s smile fell and he stared down the long stretch of highway for several seconds. “I wasn’t really in the right frame of mind when my father’s friend approached me about Ari. He told me outright that Ari wasn’t normal and just from the terrified look in Ari’s eyes I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from taking him. The burns on his back weren’t the only wounds he came with. I tried to spend time with him, but I always felt guilty. Ari was supposed to be your replacement and I didn’t want that. So I shut down and distanced myself. I took care of him when he needed help and he seemed to like the space.”

“He likes it because it means you’re not going to try anything with him if you ignore him,” Fallon clarified. “He said he was happy I was back because it meant you would have someone to pay attention to. I think he wants attention, he’s just afraid what might happen if he gets it. Since he’s going to stay we both need to treat him like he’s part of the family.”

“Alright,” Raf sighed, his smile returning once more,” but you’re the one whose going to have to make sure your children behave.”

Fallon snorted and shook his head. He frowned when Raf suddenly turned down a muddy driveway that led to what looked like an old farm. Horses and cows grazed out in the field together on one side of the driveway, while large herds of sheep wandered around the other side. Fallon could hear the sounds of barking as they approached an old barn and he glanced at Raf curiously. Raf merely smiled at him and climbed out of the car.

A young woman stepped out of the barn, greeting Raf with an excited hug. Fallon slowly climbed out of the car, the barking getting louder now that there wasn’t a barrier there to dull the noise. He walked to where Raf and the woman were talking and glanced up at her smiling face. She was a pretty blond with her hair tied up in a bun and blue eyes that looked like glittering sapphires. Her cheeks were red from the cold wind that blew and she was bundled up in more layers of clothing then Fallon probably owned. She turned her attention to Fallon when he approached, her smile growing wider.

“So you’re the man who finally convinced Raf to let pets into his house?” she laughed, her voice melodic and soft.

“Fallon, this is Mitch, Mitch, Fallon,” Raf introduced. “We went to college together and passed the bar together and became lawyers together,” he explained happily. “Then after about two months she decided being a lawyer wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be and left her internship to come out here and started an animal rescue.”

“Well, when he puts it that way it sounds ridiculous,” Mitch laughed. “I still practice law,” she explained to Fallon, “but I’m an animal lawyer. Most of the animals here were taken from abusive homes and their owners are now facing abuse charges. I represent them in court.”

Fallon nodded, surprised to learn that animals had lawyers too. Then again, he knew they went through just a much abuse as people did and since they couldn’t speak for themselves, they needed someone to do it for them. Fallon glanced between Raf and Mitch wondering just how good of friends they were. He motioned to the two of them and looked up at Raf, cocking his head.   
“Yup, that’s right, we used to date,” Mitch answered, laughing as she turned and motioned for them to follow her.

“It was a long time ago,” Raf replied, “and we obviously ended on good terms.”

 

“No, I remember throwing your couch off the balcony,” Mitch said, leading them into a small office. She shut the door, blocking out some of the barking.  
“Yes, you did and Eden laughed his ass off the entire drive home because of it,” Raf rolled his eyes. “Then he told the others and they laughed too. No one cared about my broken heart.”

Mitch giggled and sat in a dusty rolling chair. “We broke up because we fought about my dogs being in the apartment and then someone told me that Raf was fucking guys behind my back. This was before I knew he was bi, so I called him and told him it was over and tossed his couch off my balcony. It wasn’t until a few years later when we met again that he told me what had really happened and no, he never cheated on me.”

“She didn’t take me back either,” Raf mumbled.

“You were still bitching about my dogs being int he house.” Mitch glanced at Fallon and smiled. “And then you come along and suddenly he’s calling me and asking me about dog breeds and what supplies he’d need and so on.”

Fallon glanced at Raf, his eyes widening. Raf sighed and smiled. “You kept asking for a dog,” he shrugged. “You already had the cat so I figured why not. You left before we could find the dog you wanted, but then Mitch called me this morning and told me she had a litter of puppies left at her front door a few weeks ago and they were ready to be adopted. I figured it was fate that she called the day after you came home.”

Fallon smiled brightly and pushed out of his chair, kissing Raf messily. Mitch gave a quiet awww, cooing about how adorable Raf had become now that he was in love.

“Raf filled out the paperwork a few months ago and he was approved immediately. That means you can go pick out a puppy and take them home today.” Fallon’s smile widened and he nodded when Mitch asked if he wanted to see the dogs. 

A part of the barn had been converted into a kennel, filled with several dogs barking and howling as they walked past. Mitch brought them into another room where several stalls were filled with puppies. She led them to the last stall and opened the door, revealing four Bernese Mountain Dog puppies. They all swarmed the door and Fallon dropped to his knees.

He grabbed the one closest to him and lifted the puppy into his arms. It wiggled and licked his chin, grunting when it couldn’t get free. The rest visited Fallon for a few minutes until they realized it wasn’t feeding time and they went back to playing on their own. One puppy, however, sat in front of Fallon, head cocked as they looked up at him. 

“She likes you,” Mitch whispered as the puppy trundled over to Fallon. 

A small black tail with a white tip swung back and forth as she approached, her bright brown eyes watching Fallon as she tried to crawl over his legs. He tiny body got stuck on his thigh and she wiggled for several seconds, grunting in frustration until Fallon picked her up. Her tiny black nose sniffed Fallon’s neck as he stroked her black fur, her tail never stopping. She had a line of white that started at the top of her nose and ran up the enter of her head, molding into black fur at the top. Her chin and chest was white and her jaws brown. All four paws were also brown, along with the inside of her right leg.

It took only a few minutes for Fallon to come to the decision that she was coming home with them and he stood and turned to Raf. Raf pet the puppy’s head, holding out his hands when Fallon forced him to hold her. “So, Elsea or Calla?” Raf asked, holding the puppy against his chest.

“Calla,” Fallon replied softly, twirling Calla’s tail between his fingers. She had already fallen asleep in Raf’s arms and Raf was holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world.  
“I had an invisible fence installed for when she gets older and all the supplies she’ll ever need packed in a few boxes in the garage,” Raf told Fallon. “All we have to do is sign a few papers and we can take our new family member home with us.”

Fallon nodded, tugging Raf down for a kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you too, beau,” Raf whispered, kissing the top of Calla’s head when she whimpered in her sleep. He kissed Fallon again and they headed into Mitch’s office to fill out the papers for their newest family member.


End file.
